IDW Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #35 Full Preview
Tuesday, November 25th, 2014 2:59AM CST
Category: Comic Book NewsPosted by: Va'al Views: 35,377
Topic Options: View Discussion · Sign in or Join to reply
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #35: Days of Deception
James Roberts (w) • Alex Milne (a & c)
Days of Deception begins with… PEACE AND HAPPINESS! To be honest, there's not much we can say about this issue without giving away the life-changing events of last issue. What we can say is this: everything’s fine. There’s no conflict, no sadness, no angst. Why is this a problem?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Bullet points:
HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?
The fires of change drag CYBERTRON’s darkest secrets to light. Heroes become villains, enemies become allies, life becomes death… and history's revelations may tear the AUTOBOTS apart.
News Search
Got Transformers News? Let us know here!
Most Popular Transformers News
Most Recent Transformers News
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 25th, 2014 @ 3:18am CST
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 25th, 2014 @ 3:18am CST
Posted by Gallifreyan Autobot on November 25th, 2014 @ 6:52am CST
(fanwaking (if that is a word) continues)
Posted by prjkt on November 25th, 2014 @ 7:40am CST
More and more I'm thinking Megatron had the right idea to begin with, and that Whirl definitely f*cked things up big time
Posted by Randomhero on November 25th, 2014 @ 7:55am CST
Also this Cybertron shouldn't even exist if the the war never happened than no one would've stopped Nova Prime and the Dead Universe in the -ation series. The expansion would have happened! This is why I can't stand stories like this. More padding for Roberts to avoid the quest.
Posted by Peridot on November 25th, 2014 @ 8:01am CST
Posted by Randomhero on November 25th, 2014 @ 8:28am CST
Metro Prime wrote:What's with all the Unicron Trilogy guys in the background?
That's another thing! What's the deal with that?! I can back up Rhinox, rattrap, waspinator because deep down those are G1 characters. Almost all beast wars continuities are in a g1 timeframe. Energon Prowl, ironhide, cyclonus? Those are alternate universe characters! Not to mention energon jetfire and Cybertron jetfire...THATS THE SAME CHARACTER!
Not looking forward to this...
Posted by Peridot on November 25th, 2014 @ 8:58am CST
Randomhero wrote:Metro Prime wrote:What's with all the Unicron Trilogy guys in the background?
That's another thing! What's the deal with that?! I can back up Rhinox, rattrap, waspinator because deep down those are G1 characters. Almost all beast wars continuities are in a g1 timeframe. Energon Prowl, ironhide, cyclonus? Those are alternate universe characters! Not to mention energon jetfire and Cybertron jetfire...THATS THE SAME CHARACTER!
Not looking forward to this...
They probably aren't meant to represent the Unicron Trilogy characters proper. They're just generics that use their character models.
Why do you keep getting mad, anyways? Seriously. Calm down, it's just a comic.
Posted by Randomhero on November 25th, 2014 @ 9:19am CST
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 25th, 2014 @ 9:22am CST
Metro Prime wrote:Randomhero wrote:Metro Prime wrote:What's with all the Unicron Trilogy guys in the background?
That's another thing! What's the deal with that?! I can back up Rhinox, rattrap, waspinator because deep down those are G1 characters. Almost all beast wars continuities are in a g1 timeframe. Energon Prowl, ironhide, cyclonus? Those are alternate universe characters! Not to mention energon jetfire and Cybertron jetfire...THATS THE SAME CHARACTER!
Not looking forward to this...
They probably aren't meant to represent the Unicron Trilogy characters proper. They're just generics that use their character models.
Why do you keep getting mad, anyways? Seriously. Calm down, it's just a comic.
I agree with metro prime, these are just fan nods, I mean would energon jetfire really run away like that?
Also did miss the part were this was said to be the present? I thought this was just a flash back.
Now about the part were you think you know what's going to happen because of the previews...So what? That's the same for every comic. You have a choice not to read the previews. Did you kick off when you read about the previews for dawn of the Autobots when dark cybertron hadn't finished yet?
Also the part about them not being G1 characters...Cy-kill from go bots was in Megatron origins and also Jihaxus who came from G2. Then there's all the new characters who aren't from G1 because they were created by the writers of this new series. Like Drift (who then appeared in Age of Extinction), Tryest and I could go on. Plus there's all the non-G1 events that go on. Chiefly Megatron being an Autobot. I don't understand why you have an issue with UT characters but things like that are fine?
Posted by Randomhero on November 25th, 2014 @ 10:30am CST
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 25th, 2014 @ 11:10am CST
Posted by Randomhero on November 25th, 2014 @ 3:06pm CST
Here's an example, let's use Star Trek. Kirk and Spock are walking and in the background is evil Spock and evil Kirk from the mirror universe. They're not part of the story, it's not something that will return it's just an Easter egg.
That's what I'm talking about. You can't just throw in characters that have existing counterparts for the sake if it.
Posted by RevTibe on November 25th, 2014 @ 3:43pm CST
Using old character models as generics happens plenty of times - Armada was a big fan of it.Randomhero wrote:That's what I'm talking about. You can't just throw in characters that have existing counterparts for the sake if it.
Personally, I prefer using an existing toy design as generics over random redshirts - tends to give the scene more detail. Plus, it seems pretty obvious to me that these characters aren't "Ironhide" or "Jetfire", even if they have a similar body. I just think "Hey, I remember that guy from when I watched Energon, that's a fun little easter egg".
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 25th, 2014 @ 4:41pm CST
That being said your complaint still doesn't hold water for a simple reason...Tankor..remember him or them as i should say. Fat Tankor and Thin Tankor as seen in the recent windblade mini series.
Also you said before about beast wars/machines being g1? Well your half right as they are in a splinter g1 timeline, just like IDWs series does.
Posted by Coptur on November 26th, 2014 @ 7:04am CST
Also it has also been long established that more than one bot or con can have the same name. Prowl G1 & Prowl BW (renamed Dent), Tall Tankor & Fat Tankor etc...
Sky High from the original line is the first evidence that two different transformers can have the same name.
I'm happy to embrace all three Jetfire bodies within the unicron trilogy entering into the IDW-verse as new characters.
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 26th, 2014 @ 7:06am CST
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 26th, 2014 @ 7:06am CST
Posted by Coptur on November 26th, 2014 @ 8:43am CST
Posted by Coptur on November 26th, 2014 @ 8:43am CST
Posted by Va'al on November 26th, 2014 @ 12:58pm CST
(Spoiler free-ish)
Synopsis
Days of Deception begins with… PEACE AND HAPPINESS! To be honest, there's not much we can say about this issue without giving away the life-changing events of last issue. What we can say is this: everything’s fine. There’s no conflict, no sadness, no angst. Why is this a problem?
Story
Timelines have met each other and collapsed. Old friends and lovers are reunited, though something is obviously not quite right yet. Other friends and allies have revealed a different set of colours entirely. And as we explored some of the past events last issue, we delve once more in the days before the Decepticons were a thing - or do we?
James Roberts' script is heavy. This is an issue that will require time to spend on reading, rather than a quick skim-through. The play on the different time settings is clearly marked, and cleverly linked, though that is not the critical part of the connection between the two, as what they have in common may in fact be diverging once more, but further away than expected.
While in the present Megatron finally had a bit of a breakdown aboard the Lost Light, as the rest of the crew investigate Brainstorm's doings (and part of the yellow briefcase's secrets are sorta kinda revealed!), the past sees Rewind and Minimus Ambus dealing with Functionists, and the cunning and seditious Dominus Ambus himself.
Does something feel off yet? It seems like something is a little off. No? Make sure you read *everything* that takes place in the issue, as details are constantly changing, for what seems to be a very good reason indeed in the grand scheme of things, and the upcoming Elegant Chaos event in particular, for which this issue a prelude of sorts.
Art
Alex Milne and Brian Shearer, with the latter helping on inking duties, have some great visual fun, despite everything happening in the script as it already is. A lot of Unicron Trilogy body types have been spotted, without being subtle at all, already in the first couple of pages, and there may be a reason for all of it being there after all. Though character design does not stop at that, with some twisted ..er.. twists elsewhere, too.
On top of the busy script and busy backgrounds, colourist Joana Lafuente clearly had a busy time coordinating all the multiples of the same type of Cybertronian, yet marking them as individual entities (much to the ruling classes' disappointment, one might guess). I am very impressed at the result, especially with the final product in hand.
Tom B. Long keeps on keeping on with the fantastic letter work, making sure to maintain the space that Roberts does not leave to the art, and . The issue also comes with an excellent array of variant covers, on top of the ominous Milne/Josh Perez main one. In the thumbnail is the eerily appropriate Nick Roche/Josh Burcham Functionist, and make sure to keep an eye out for the Andrew Griffith 30th Anniversary special incentive art, too.
Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead
It's mind-bendy, it's space-bendy, it's time-bendy - it just pushes the envelope and watches it bend for most of the plotlines being teased up to this point, and some intriguing social commentary to boot. Out of all of this week's releases, this is the most dense and emotionally compromising, without any doubt, so be warned before you dive into it.
We vaguely know what has happened with the Functionist Council in the past. We've seen something of Brainstorm's character so far. We know what Rewind used to do in the days of Dominus Ambus, and the House of Ambus overall - be ready to have all of that questioned. Again. And again. Elegant Chaos is here.
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 26th, 2014 @ 1:41pm CST
Can't wait to get this tomorrow, may re-read everything up to now as well . Though what you said about the UT cameos makes it seem that armada Megatron will appear.
Posted by SW's SilverHammer on November 26th, 2014 @ 2:49pm CST
so, I know most haven't gotten the chance to look through their copies, but i'm going to put something out there, did anyone notice her?
Posted by Va'al on November 26th, 2014 @ 3:03pm CST
There is a brilliant fan art piece I spotted earlier today, I'll put the URL in spoiler tags right here:
https://38.media.tumblr.com/bf049aac025fe0de3d65db99d003bd99/tumblr_nfnkl3qEtc1s0bve9o1_500.png
Posted by SW's SilverHammer on November 26th, 2014 @ 3:20pm CST
Va'al wrote:Oh, very much so SW.
There is a brilliant fan art piece I spotted earlier today, I'll put the URL in spoiler tags right here:
https://38.media.tumblr.com/bf049aac025fe0de3d65db99d003bd99/tumblr_nfnkl3qEtc1s0bve9o1_500.png
The part that caught my notice wasn't so much that the character model was a feminized Rung but that Minimus and Rewind used the feminine pronouns in common use; which brings two mind 2 things. 1. were there other experiments of Jhiaxus that we don't know about provided she falls under the "Frankenstein Created Woman" origin. Or 2. There are naturally female transformers as stated by Windblade and Chromia about the Caminus lost colony; however in this alternate timeline, there are genders in Functionalist society. Which stated by rewind and Chromedome after rewind had a stroke, lasted a few million years more than the standard timieline's functionalist society in this new timeline.
Posted by Va'al on November 26th, 2014 @ 4:46pm CST
But what does this mean in terms of timeline alignment? Will one take over the other, but not in the way we think it already has? Will there be a timequake? A timeshift? Another word with time in it?
Posted by SW's SilverHammer on November 26th, 2014 @ 5:02pm CST
Va'al wrote:I was always on board with the second of those statements, to be honest with you.
But what does this mean in terms of timeline alignment? Will one take over the other, but not in the way we think it already has? Will there be a timequake? A timeshift? Another word with time in it?
The time warp? Its just a jump to left and a step to the right after all.
well perceptor stated that the briefcase time machine kept the former reality stable enough for brainstorm to put his hands on his hips, pull he's knees in tight and pelvic thrust his way into the past, thus over coming the paradox. It possible the with the mention alternate universes are bullshit, that the other lost light seen in the slaughterhaus was a consequence of brainstorms tampering with the past, as seen by the other rewind's stroke and those events were part of the new timeline establishing itself.
Posted by Nemesis Maximo on November 26th, 2014 @ 5:06pm CST
Va'al wrote:Oh, very much so SW.
There is a brilliant fan art piece I spotted earlier today, I'll put the URL in spoiler tags right here:
https://38.media.tumblr.com/bf049aac025fe0de3d65db99d003bd99/tumblr_nfnkl3qEtc1s0bve9o1_500.png
Posted by ZeroWolf on November 26th, 2014 @ 5:36pm CST
Va'al wrote:Will there be a timequake? A timeshift? Another word with time in it?
As I've said all along what about time wars for Roberts being a big fan of the uk marvel stuff a homage of sorts to that series biggest arc isn't out of the question.
Posted by AudioKnightsTheatre on November 28th, 2014 @ 8:50am CST
Megatron's speech in the previous issue(captured so delightfully well by Chris McFeely here on his Towards Peace bit: http://www.SoundCloud.com/TheAudioKnightsTheatre - sorry, shameless plug) and the action of the rebel who threw her incendiary device fashioned from her own transformation cog(and why "females" in this continuity now? Did they never exodus because of the absence of war?) coupled by an "innocent" question posed by Roberts in the Twitter thread, seems to point to a theme of "Transformation Is Bad" - that this culture which exists with a natural ability to change into alternative forms is hindered by this very gift, in that they discriminate based on how this gift is used. We've seen Gorlam Prime and Beast Machines, of how evolution played a part in learning to change shape, but in a series ABOUT Transformers, it shines a light on what it really MEANS to be able to Transform.
The characters in "our" universe are comfortable in their alt modes; First Aid and Ambulon both led happy and fulfilling lives without needing to transform into something else - they found a use without needing transformation cogs.
When the Circle of Light left Cybertron to spread its message, when Nova Prime left to conquer, it seems the mechanical viewed the organic as inferior and it seems partly because of that inability to change shape.
I'm starting to ramble now, but I wonder what Roberts is building to, with this commentary on transformation. I Also need to read Eugenesis. It's on my list.
Posted by ThunderThruster on December 2nd, 2014 @ 7:28am CST
Posted by ZeroWolf on December 2nd, 2014 @ 7:56am CST
Posted by ThunderThruster on December 2nd, 2014 @ 9:46am CST