Issue is trickling out now via various venues.

Spoiler

So Rubble IS dead, then. I wasn't 100% convinced they'd have followthrough on that, but I am glad they did. It didn't feel like it was meant to be a copout moment, and it didn't feel like one of those fakeouts where the artist went further than the writer intended (Cyclonus in MTMTE is the easy example but the easy to forget one is Starscream in Infiltration).

Also, FLAMEWAR! VERY intrigued.

 

Well....the stakes are definitely higher now.

Spoiler

• They actually killed Rubble...damn, and I was looking forward to seeing more of him.
• Quake managed to get away with murder, and everyone thinks there are two killers (that’s Quake didn’t kill Brainstorm)
• Sentinel Prime, Nautica and Starscream are returning back to Cybertron now. That should be interesting.
• Bumblebee is more determined now than ever before to make Cybertron safe, and it’s certainly a different way of dealing with grief.
• The two page action scene was nice.
• Looks like Cyclonus is missing someone.

Interesting moment:

The second killer (if so, they should have aimed for the head)

Overall, this issue was great. You get to understand the different ways everyone reacts to their death, the art was mostly great, and I’m intrigued to seeing more of Cyclonus next issue.

 

I'm saving my more elaborate thoughts for tomorrow afternoon once this thread has gotten more discussion stirring but man, I am REALLY loving this Cyclonus, he seems like a really chill vagabond. I'm also intrigued by this Exarchon guy that's been name dropped twice now. Like I said last thread, i'm betting he was some sort of religious leader type and if Cyclonus isn't just crazy, maybe that would explain why he's able to manifest dead bots, being one of his followers and all that.

 

As usual, I thought the art was okay. The panelling seemed pretty cool in this issue. I mean, using panels without dialogue in a cinematic way. That really worked for me. Like the Prowl panels for example.

Interesting that we don’t get to see much of Rubble’s body up close, huh? I wonder, was it a blunt blow to the head that killed him? So friends wouldn’t recognise the body? Okay so maybe I am very cynical about comic book deaths, but I wanted to see the body- all of the body- to be convinced.

All in all it was a good enough issue. It’s not yet awesome for me but it is growing on me slowly.

I am getting tired of people blowing off/ignoring Pax though. Megatron schooled him last issue like a pup, Bee blows him off now. Where’s the leadership potential?

 

I enjoyed this issue, but it felt half empty. Maybe the writer thinks it's very artistic to use two or three pages to show a character climbing stairs, but I don't think it's acceptable. The story is intriguing, the characters are shaping up, but the execution is badly flawed. It feels like writer and cartoonist are filling up space: "in this issue Bob wakes up, eats, goes out and comes back. Five pages each! Let's make sure that waking up takes five pages!"

 

This, I wish the writers had seen MTME or LL because multiple plot points were moved on a single page.

There was so much unbelievable negativity back then, I knew we'd never see that quality again.

 

Agreed. He’s probably the most interesting part of the book so far. I’m pretty sure you’re right - he’s not crazy, and something bad is coming.

I also agree with this. The plot has really kicked into gear, and it’s frustrating for them not to be more economical. I’m absolutely certain that the best way to enjoy this series would be to read the first 24-48 issues collected so that’s less of an issue - but here we are, and I’ll keep reading.

One final note: Orion Pax is clearly not Optimus Prime here. As others have noted, there’s not a lot of deference towards him from other characters. It’ll be interesting to see how his character and stature evolves.

 

Still don’t care about the slow moving plot, but

Spoiler

Ratchet showed up and had lines.

so...10/10.

 

I didn't even bother posting on the last issue after reading it because it was the kind of story that Roberts or Barber used to do in a three-page interlude. This issue was better, but it's still very frustrating that so much space is wasted.

The plot in general is working out as a fairly diverting sci-fi police/political thriller. It reminds me a bit of Altered Carbon. But I am starting to miss the emphasis Roberts put on Cybertronian physiology. Humans in robot suits is almost what we're getting here - aside from the idea that they're 'hard to kill' and choose instead to get absorbed into the planet's surface, these are just asexual humanoids so far.

Is Ratchet ... a forensic pathologist? That would be quite interesting if they keep him in that role.

 

Yeah, the complaints about the story being decompressed is valid. I'm rereading MTMTE and LL right now and it's crazy how much happens in a single issue. This issue feels like it does a lot, but really doesn't.

I am enjoying it, and I'm glad it's biweekly. Again, if this were once a month I'd think it's moving to slow. As is I hope it picks up.

Cyclonus is becoming my favorite character of the reboot.

 

Yeah, same. Cyclonus’s subplot is where I can feel the actual tension/impending doom. The other plot threads just aren’t doing it for me. Especially Megatron and Pax.

 

Rubble is dead?
That was fast, I expected him to atleast stay to the very end. Higher stakes?

 

Honestly I think the reason Rubble's fate hits me as hard as it does is that as a comics reader, I'm conditioned to expect fake-outs. Hell, Transformers has had its share.

It's one of the things that made me really interested in how the IDW continuity decided to end - suddenly, death had meaning because the writers were well aware that they didn't need to put the toys back in the box for someone else.

 

The comic is shaping up nicely, really starting to get on board with the current direction and intrigue.

 

I feel ya on that. It was already pretty brutal having Rubble, essentially a child to Cybertronians, killed back in #5, but I'm kinda disappointed they didn't go the extra mile to show us the body.

Come to think of it, the violence in this series so far has been rather tame compared to the first continuity where we had stuff like Hot Rod getting his jaw knocked loose in Maximum Dinobots and stuff like Rotorstorm and Ambulon's deaths. In all honesty, I really hope they change this and get a bit more graphic in the future.

The way Bumblebee doesn't seem so broken up about Rubble's death except for the beginning is...a bit odd, IMO. But, maybe this is essentially just him in denial, and a few issues down the line he may have a proper breakdown. I'm really digging the concept of Bee joining the Asccenticons in reaction to Rubble's death, because I think it would be really cool if we end up having a Decepticon Bee for a few issues once the war properly starts.

Finally with Cyclonus, I'm feeling too confused to really understand his story. Clearly he's out protecting something that all those dead people he talks to helped with, but why? And is it me, or does the femme he fights look kinda like a recolored Prime Arcee?

All in all, a solid issue. The Prowl and Bee bits were good, but Cyclonus' story is too confusing for me to enjoy right now. Also, really excited to see what they do with Starscream in this continuity when he and Nautica return!

8.5/10

 

I'm positive it's Flamewar.

 

Cyclonus seems to be a veteran of the previous war. He seems to be devoted to Exarchon or "The three-fold spark", we don't know who that is or what significance he has yet other than leading one side of the previous war in some way but yeah. Cyclonus doesn't think that Exarchon is dead but it's possible that he's just in denial but regardless he's frustrated that people have moved on.
Oh also, Cyclonus is a roaming hobo out in the middle of nowhere apparently. That's what we know of this dude thus far.

 

Ah, okay. Sweet, we got a space hobo veteran. Looking forward to seeing how they reveal more about him and Exarchon.

 

I enjoyed the issue. I admit I am looking forward to Sentinel Prime and retinue returning to Cybertron. I am liking the fact deference is not given to Orion. I am liking Prowl a lot better than. I thought.

 

I'm really intrigued to see how Starscream will be portrayed in this continuity.

I've been assuming he's underground with the Rise but perhaps not?

Also, we've yet to see Shockwave pop up. Curious where he presently is. (Wouldn't mind seeing him as governor of Tarn, for instance, a role he's held in past continuities)