Transformers, because its genesis is a toy line, doesn't really grow up, it keeps cycling into the same stories and the same short-sighted war content over and over. The successes that our heroes or villains enjoy ultimately get wiped out and rebooted, so the characters don't get to grow.

The Transformers lore is only one of violence and toys, look at the Bay movies, they are the ambassadors to the general public now rather than the cartoons and they haven't a single important or thoughtful thing to say, they have tarnished Optimus Prime as a hero by turning him into a bloodthirsty murderer. The characters, the rich history, the interpersonal connections, none of those are pop culture touchstones the way other properties of its ilk enjoy.

Couple that with the more mature comics catching a ton of flak for trying to grow. RID/The Transformers up until Dark Cybertron was a thoughtful, strategic, political conversation about how to pick up the pieces after war, how to move on. MTMTE is all about personal and interpersonal growth even through damage of the psyche, yet its "gay robots" flap was incredibly contentious for simply trying to show 2 people caring for each other deeply, not sexually.

I guess the brand feels stunted by its very nature of being a lore built on a toy brand actively still trying to sell those toys, and to a degree it should be expected, but seeing attempts at honest growth get so much pushback and the brand management wipe away whatever growth the cartoons get with a simple reboot feels immature.

 

RID15 didn't reboot, and didn't bring Optimus and Megatron back into the picture, at least not immediately. It's kind of a different direction, even if it still has Autobots vs Decepticons, it's still a different story than what we've had before, I think. Rescue Bots also is a less violent and different thing than what Transformers has done before. And MTMTE the comic is also very different, in that it's about exploration and has Decepticons and Autobots on the same team. I'd say this is a good time for what you're looking for in the franchise. You're definitely right about the movies though.

 

The fact more VA's haven't taken up the mantle of Optimus Prime.

 

So that explains why the IDW-verse is more tangled than a ball of yarn.

 

Given how balls of yarn actually are usually tangle free by design...

 

Huh. I can understand your frustrations, but I wouldn't really say that the comics are any more mature than the movies. Sure, they have genders and sexual topics, but they're all handled in a rather sophomoric manner. I'd argue that reading the comics are like wading into a pool that's Olympic sized, but only a foot or so deep. It seems very large, but is actually rather shallow.

 

something i hate about the fandom? bias in the news sites.

 

Please define this "bias" that you speak of.

 

Maybe hate is too stronger word but those gender debates which often rear there ugly head in the comic forums can be a little long winded and overthought things, so much scrolling

 

I hate that we can never be satisfied even if things are actually fine.

 

Indeed.

 

RID15 isn't really on pop culture's radar though, and did bring back Optimus and Megatron, from what I can tell. Rescue Bots also isn't really much of an ambassador, not for lack of trying, just lack of being embraced. And MTMTE is great, but the comics only have around 10k readers, it's niche... it's doing a good job with Hasbro trying to get turned into the face of the brand, at least.

I'm not seeing this even remotely, but feel free to elucidate.

 

Apparently the super-fuel that gives them their badassnes, is kinda limited.

Fixed. When the franchise cornerstone is making toys first and then slapping writteb stuff on them, that´s expected.

 

I don't like how in the G1 cartoon, the Dinobots in robot mode (with the exception of Snarl) were seen using guns and not swords. It doesn't go well with their portrayal and the "Me Grimlock" dialogue.

 

The Michael Bay Movies.

 

All this shoe-horning of Beast wars-era characters into the MTMTE/Old RiD comics.

 

People having to find a flaw to hate IDW instead of embracing it.

 

Swerve
Artwork
Comedy

There's three reasons I don't care for it. Others may love those reason, but those three are some why I don't particularly care for it. ...along with my personal biases.

 

Just because you don't care for those things does not make them flaws.

 

This.