Galvatron had Rodimus strung up between the twin towers, iirc...

 

I forgot. I was tired and its one of those things that was a bad idea. I think I will go back and edit that.

 

I think the dark mood of the first couple issues is to establish the threats that the Autobots are facing. I don't think it will seem as dark once some of these threats start to get dealt with.

I loved Ultra Magnus' short scene in this issue. His appearances in the UK comics made him easily my favorite Autobot, and even though the UK continuity technically isn't supposed to be followed, I hope we get to see the badass version of Ultra Magnus that we saw in stories like Target: 2006.

Since it's been 20 years later, I suppose Circuit Smasher could be Circuit Breakers son. Or maybe the son of one of the other Neo-Knights. Buster is also a potential candidate, it would be nice to at least see that he survived.

Looking forward to see where this goes. Looks like the list of Decepticon heavy hitters coming out of the wood-work keeps rising. Especially if you noticed Grimlock's last panal. Hopefully we get to see more of Soundwave and Bludgeon next issue. Also am looking forward to seeing what Shockwave's been up to these last 20 years. I doubt he's on Earth anymore, because I don't think he would find Megatron's plan logical enough for his tastes.

 

It's already been confirmed in the solicitations that Circuit Smasher is Spike. Which doesn't bode well for Fort Max. Where was Max when Megatron took over? He was supposed to be the "defender of the earth"...

 

Of course the character existed and should be part of their history.

Galvatron 2 was plucked from a different timeline, a different parallel universe in which Unicron attacked Cybertron and made Megatron into Galvatron in 2005/6 , he went on to beat the autobots by 2009.

He was then transported by Hook, Line and Sinker to the mainstream TF timeline where Unicron was attacking getting ready to attack Cybertron in 1989/90[not sure on the years]

But Gal2 , if he is still alive, would still exist because he is from a parallel timeline.

 

I picked up both 81 and 82 on my last trip to the comic shop along with MTMTE 7.
Honestly, I'm not feeling it with regeneration one. I did love Guido's cover for 81 and really liked the Geoff Senior RE's. Not fond of Prime's current malaise, but its nice to have Magnus in it. I just hope we don't get too many parallels with the old characters and how they're being portrayed today. Megs is showing his nsanity quite nicely with his treatment of his troops. I'll continue getting the series as its binary bonded in my DNA to get all the comics.

 

Colour me underwhelmed. Very hard to say - as somebody who considers the Marvel US/UK saga as THE definitive Transformers story - that this just isn't hitting the right notes for me.

People here have already highlighted most of the reservations I have; we'll see how it plays out, but I fear this will go down, at least for me, as a so-so "alternate timeline" rather than the continuation of a saga I love so much.

One point - somebody pointed out that the 21 year gap is perfectly logical as the Transformers are so long-lived and this counts as nothing more than a 'breather' for them. This seems reasonable, but the TFs have NEVER BEEN WRITTEN LIKE THIS. Aside from a half-hearted attempt during the "Infiltration" years (to suggest TF strategies and war planning might take centuries before a single shot is fired), TFs have always reacted to events and time passing exactly as human beings might. Not the greatest examples, but two that immediately spring to mind:

1) "Cold Comfort and Joy" from Marvel UK #198 - Optimus Prime laments how much his perspective/ideals have changed. If 21 years was no issue for this guy, then why's he getting so excited about a couple of years since he died?

2) "Starting Over" (UK #261) - Prowl and Wheeljack wax nostalgic about "the old days" (story-time about 3, maybe 4 years) before Headmasters, Pretenders etc. Again, they are effectively voicing the thoughts of readers (and the writer) e.g. a human perspective.

So, I don't like:
1) the 21 year gap.
2) The Earth-destruction type storyline.
3) Furman forgetting he's writing Marvel Magnus not IDW I'm-a-by-the-book-p***k Magnus.
4) Decompression in storytelling. Furman obviously didn't get the memo that IDW don't do TF comics using that dreadful "writing for the trade" methodology anymore.
5) Furman cannibalising his favourite/fan-pleasing elements from Marvel UK (Wreckers, characterisations) while treating the source material with such disdain.


Likes:
1) Idea of Headmasters being resurrected using the original heads is interesting.
2) Guidi's "retro" cover art looks fantastic.

 

For all of those people who don't like the 20 year gap, how else would you do it? Would you want Furman to write the story as if it was still 1991?

 

Yes. If you're going to make Transformers #81, have it take place shortly after #80. Pick the story up from where it left off. Heck, even skipping 6 months would have accomplished the same thing without being as jarring. I guess the issue is that the story being told could have been the same without jumping ahead 20 years. Megatron could have destroyed the Earth in 6 months left to his own devices. Grimlock would have been searching for a cure right away, not 20 years later. The Nebulos stuff could have easily have happened in the time since #42. 6 months would have been enough time to reshuffle the board without making as jarring. Instead we're getting loose ends all coincidentally all being brought up again 21 years later... all at the same time.

I'm still in for the long haul.. because it's my favorite TF continuity ever.

 

If there's little difference between 6 months and 20 years, why is 20 years any more jarring?

Anyway, I think I disagree with that premise. The story has yet to unfold. Especially when you bring humans into things, as we're going to see in #83, 20 years could easily be very significant.

#83 spoilers below!

Spoiler

Even if Buster Witwicky were able to become Circuit Smasher in only six months, that's not really enough time to develop an interesting new back-story, which I think is where Furman is going with this. Personally I'm hoping for the return of Fortress Maximus at some point and some kind of showdown/resolution between those two.

 

I agree, we don't know how all the angles are going to be played yet. It's too early to judge the 20 year gap when we don't know if something significant will be coming out of it. The human aspect is one thing. There's also the chance that some bad guys that haven't shown up yet are going to reveal plots that would have taken 20 years to hatch.

As for Magnus, this continuity is supposed to only take US issues of the Marvel run into account, so really he's a clean slate in this universe. He was my favorite character in the UK run, so I would like to see him back to his old badass ways. The scene in #82 implies that this might be where his character is headed. Again, I think you guys are jumping to conclusions before plots have a chance to be fleshed out.

 

I think we are all open to giving it a chance and think that it is too early. It's just the feel of it. The writer, the art and the characters are there but it just doesn't feel quite right yet.

 

I'd love to see some issues by Geoff Senior, I love his art and have missed it since his run on Transformers and Judge Dredd.

 

+1000000000000

 

hell yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Can someone remind me when 83 will be released?

I'm at work and I'm almost tempted to go to the comic store on my way home, but I don't think it's out just yet.

 

About three week; August 29th.
I had to go subscription because I'll be on my honeymoon from the 24th  

 

Thanks for the heads up, and congratulations on getting married.

 

i think furman is playing the long game here, settings thnigs up for an epic finale. Hes jugglng a lot of plot arcs in just 3 issues (includng 80.5)- it'll pan out.

on some level, if james roberts was blown away by what furman is planning (enough that roberts said he threw out what he had develope for MTMTE at that point and started again) then im pretty sure Furman has some heavy bucket of awesome brewing.

there is, at the very least, a lot of conflict on the horizon - Megs, Kup, Wreckers, Ratchet/Starscream OP, Ultra Magnus- the autobots arent really unified and most of the decepticons are zombies except Soundwave's group, Shockwave seems inevitable.

 

Thanks!

I just started reading MTMTE and I did feel there was a similarity, in that they're dealing with the consequences of a war that's only recently over.
The thing is, I think that MTMTE is closer to the original series, in that it's a series of adventures played off against the backdrop of an old war. I don't think it can afford to be as final as RG1.
Then RG1 came along, and took the idea to the limit, the logical conclusion, which is that it's really never over. RG1 is going to be a bloodbath, I think that's the only way it's headed. I also think that Shockwave will be the big bad.
FWIW, i'm not sure that I like Megatron actually being insane now, I kinda liked him teetering on the edge. There's something unsettling about seeing him off the deep end.