The Energon Pub

IDW has sent us yet another preview for next week's releases! This time, it's Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters issue 2. Check out the preview below.

Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters #2
Mairghread Scott & Mike Johnson (w) • Agustin Padilla (a) • Ken Christiansen (c)
THE WORLD BELOW! Deep beneath the surface of CYBERTRON, the last vestiges of life struggles to survive. Their only protectors: GRIMLOCK and his loyal DINOBOTS—who find themselves at the center of a dark mystery!
*Retailers: See your order form for incentive information.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
• Ties in to the smash hit TRANSFORMERS PRIME: BEAST HUNTERS television show as seen on the HUB!
• The creative team from the critically-acclaimed TRANSFORMERS PRIME: RAGE OF THE DINOBOTS is back!

YAHOOOOOO! Reconciliation with his "death" in the FOC game!

I won't put spoilers here, but if anyone's seen the latest Prime Beast Hunters episode. I can see how this might link with the tv show, and it def seems possible that the dinobots will come into the ending movie.

Sabrblade wrote:YAHOOOOOO! Reconciliation with his "death" in the FOC game!

Oh, that story is FAR from over.

I want to see Sludge get some characterization, and it looks like that's where Scott is heading. I approve.

Still don't know why he wasn't destroyed by the acid bath, but hell, whatever for now.

Oh, and glad to see you posting news again Va'al!

Henry921 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:YAHOOOOOO! Reconciliation with his "death" in the FOC game!

Oh, that story is FAR from over.

I want to see Sludge get some characterization, and it looks like that's where Scott is heading. I approve.

Still don't know why he wasn't destroyed by the acid bath, but hell, whatever for now.

Oh, and glad to see you posting news again Va'al!

The search party might have found him after Jazz did, but before the acid hit.

Sabrblade wrote:The search party might have found him after Jazz did, but before the acid hit.

That is a very narrow window of opportunity, and at least during Fall of Cybertron the only Autobots investigating the Sea of Rust were Cliffjumper, Jazz, and Sideswipe, the latter of whom was hanging out at the edge of the storm in his ship the whole time.

And why the Insecticons didn't eat him bears explanation.

Henry921 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:The search party might have found him after Jazz did, but before the acid hit.

That is a very narrow window of opportunity, and at least during Fall of Cybertron the only Autobots investigating the Sea of Rust were Cliffjumper, Jazz, and Sideswipe, the latter of whom was hanging out at the edge of the storm in his ship the whole time.

And why the Insecticons didn't eat him bears explanation.

Maybe his body was a LOT more durable and resistant than we previously thought.

Henry921 wrote:Oh, and glad to see you posting news again Va'al!

Thanks!

Been away for a bit, was in a different country with limited internet access. Service should now be resumed as usual, as soon as I actually get back to my own computer.
(Including the Roundup, and we may have some juicy stuff coming up too.. Stay tuned!)

I have yet to read the first issue, but will do so this evening, in order to get a proper review done for next week.

Sabrblade wrote:

Henry921 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:The search party might have found him after Jazz did, but before the acid hit.

That is a very narrow window of opportunity, and at least during Fall of Cybertron the only Autobots investigating the Sea of Rust were Cliffjumper, Jazz, and Sideswipe, the latter of whom was hanging out at the edge of the storm in his ship the whole time.

And why the Insecticons didn't eat him bears explanation.

Maybe his body was a LOT more durable and resistant than we previously thought.

Or maybe what we saw was just the stuff Shockwave didn't need, maybe the Dinobot bodies are made from scratch with only core components form the original body?

This looks kinda cool, but I won't be buying it, since it'll just be retconned out of continuity once the Dinobots enter the show proper, just like the Cliffjumper prequel comic.
Which will probably happen in season 4 (or whatever they'll call the installment after season 3 wraps up the 65 episode circle of Prime.


Also, cool to see you're on the news team now Va'al!

Dead Metal wrote:This looks kinda cool, but I won't be buying it, since it'll just be retconned out of continuity once the Dinobots enter the show proper, just like the Cliffjumper prequel comic.

Is it out of continuity? I know there are some major differences between the four issue comic prequel and Arcee's recounting of the events in 'Out of The Past', but isn't it essentially the same story presented in two forms?

Dead Metal wrote:Which will probably happen in season 4 (or whatever they'll call the installment after season 3 wraps up the 65 episode circle of Prime.

What? Have I missed something? Beast Hunters is the last of PRIME, right?

This comic is looking pretty awesome. So happy to see Sludge getting some of the attention. The 'Bot's seriously under-appreciated.

Dead Metal wrote:This looks kinda cool, but I won't be buying it, since it'll just be retconned out of continuity once the Dinobots enter the show proper, just like the Cliffjumper prequel comic.

That wasn't retconned out. It was the same story, just with some deviances due to being told from Arcee's perspective and the addition of Shockwave.

Likewise, WFC/FOC and Exodus tells the same basic story in different ways, but both are still seen as canon in spite of the differences.

Dead Metal wrote:Which will probably happen in season 4 (or whatever they'll call the installment after season 3 wraps up the 65 episode circle of Prime.

This is the final season. TF: Prime is ending after the next five episodes and epilogue movie.

Sabrblade wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:This looks kinda cool, but I won't be buying it, since it'll just be retconned out of continuity once the Dinobots enter the show proper, just like the Cliffjumper prequel comic.

That wasn't retconned out. It was the same story, just with some deviances due to being told from Arcee's perspective and the addition of Shockwave.

Likewise, WFC/FOC and Exodus tells the same basic story in different ways, but both are still seen as canon in spite of the differences.

Still the same to me, I'm sure the eventual how version will be better, just like the novel version was horrible compared to the game version and the recounting in the show.

Dead Metal wrote:Which will probably happen in season 4 (or whatever they'll call the installment after season 3 wraps up the 65 episode circle of Prime.

This is the final season. TF: Prime is ending after the next five episodes and epilogue movie.

Yea, then we'll get the next installation of Aligned, just like I said the 65 circle of Prime will then be wrapped up making way for the next one. And I'm sure it'll connect directly to this, hopefully by the same team even.
Epilogue movie? We got confirmation on that because i thought the article meant the thirst three epsiodes which where aired as a movie in Malaysia.

Dead Metal wrote:Still the same to me, I'm sure the eventual how version will be better, just like the novel version was horrible compared to the game version and the recounting in the show.

What about the chapters of the book that the games didn't cover? Especially those that the cartoon alluded to?

Or the second novel that has no other-medium counterpart, game or otherwise?

Dead Metal wrote:Epilogue movie? We got confirmation on that because i thought the article meant the thirst three epsiodes which where aired as a movie in Malaysia.

The press release for it called it an "epilogue", so take that what you will.

There's also the new "Transformers: Prime Beast Hunters Predacons Rising" (say that five times fast) toyline coming to Target stores, which would fit well with a special coming after the normal "Transformers: Prime Beast Hunters" series.

Sabrblade wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Still the same to me, I'm sure the eventual how version will be better, just like the novel version was horrible compared to the game version and the recounting in the show.

What about the chapters of the book that the games didn't cover? Especially those that the cartoon alluded to?

Or the second novel that has no other-medium counterpart, game or otherwise?

Well, I absolutely hated the first novel for how inconsistent and badly put together it was, the story telling was also pretty bad. And the stuff in it that hasn't been covered in anything else, well that wasn't that great to begin with so it's no big loss.
Man I enjoyed burning that book, that was the best thing about the book, good burning material.

Dead Metal wrote:Epilogue movie? We got confirmation on that because i thought the article meant the thirst three epsiodes which where aired as a movie in Malaysia.

The press release for it called it an "epilogue", so take that what you will.

There's also the new "Transformers: Prime Beast Hunters Predacons Rising" (say that five times fast) toyline coming to Target stores, which would fit well with a special coming after the normal "Transformers: Prime Beast Hunters" series.

OK, well I was out of the loop for months now, and only caught a few things here and there when I was bored. The last article on TF Prime ending talked about a DVD movie that had the same title as the Beast Hunters special from Malaysia, you know the first three episodes aired as one movie.
But then who says there won't be more after the epilogue? It might bring an end to the current cycle but open up for the next installation, Aligned is for from over, and now that Transfailure 4 ( )is slated to come out soon, this is the perfect opportunity for them to work on the next show.

Dead Metal wrote:Aligned is for from over,

At the moment, its fate is questionable since all the main people behind it (Aaron Archer, Rik Alvarez, the department Alvarez was a part of, etc.) are no longer with Hasbro, having either gotten laid off or left on their own.

Though there's Rescue Bots season 2, the Beast Hunters ongoing comic, and the Covenant of Primus all coming out, it remains to be seen what, aside from TF4, we have to look forward to.

Sabrblade wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Aligned is for from over,

At the moment, its fate is questionable since all the main people behind it (Aaron Archer, Rik Alvarez, the department Alvarez was a part of, etc.) are no longer with Hasbro, having either gotten laid off or left on their own.

Though there's Rescue Bots season 2, the Beast Hunters ongoing comic, and the Covenant of Primus all coming out, it remains to be seen what, aside from TF4, we have to look forward to.

I know it's not Aligned, but I have all the other IDW titles to look forward to.

Dead Metal wrote:Also, cool to see you're on the news team now Va'al!

Only just spotted this. Thanks!
I kind of took your place as the token European.

I was pleasantly surprised by this series, and I'll show it in the review coming up later today. I think you should give it a look.

Synopsis

THE WORLD BELOW! Deep beneath the surface of CYBERTRON, the last vestiges of life struggles to survive. Their only protectors: GRIMLOCK and his loyal DINOBOTS — who find themselves at the center of a dark mystery!



Story

The first issue of this new series introduced us to some new characters and settings, all very different from the other IDW ongoings, and even from the Prime animated series. The Dinobots are in charge, Grimlock leading them, energon is scarce, and there are a lot of issues to be dealt with - including the piles of bodies found by Last Spark inhabitant Firestar.



Even though the synopsis talks about Grimlock, it's Sludge that is the real protagonist here - and a well deserved spot it is - with Snarl in tail (ha! Tail!). Mairghread Scott seems to take some cues from Barber's style, working with previous continuity issues and patching them up, and also by having a running internal monologue through captions.



The tone of the issue, and the series so far, is a fairly dark and gritty one. A lot of deaths (though several off-panel), including quite graphic ones, talk of cannibalism and vampirism, betrayal and extreme survival. It's really quite engaging.



I am very pleased with the attention given to minor characters in the Dinobot ranks, and it was time for Sludge to shine. Dealing with the Last Spark Autobots is also a really good idea, as it allows to work outside of the usual cast (who are currently engaged on Earth, as part of the animated series).

Art

The artwork is also really good, though at times it can look a bit overcrowded. Agustin Padilla, who also worked on Spotlight: Hoist as well as Rage of the Dinobots, does a nice job of adapting game designs to comics-style, in my opinion, and they all really fit the tone quite well. As I said, there is the risk of some panels feeling overcrowded, but overall, the result is good.



The colours are faultless, but I was expecting nothing less from the likes of Priscilla Tramontano. They really help out those parts where the art may have been a little hard to manage. And Tom B. Long's lettering does its usual amazing things, too, with some really nice soundwords and font matching.



The artistic team works really well with the storyline, and I think Padilla, while still having room for improvement, is definitely the best bet for the series. I would like to see him on other titles again, too. Colours and letters really help out too, in a complementary ensemble that conveys the full range of the story. The covers by Ken Christiansen are excellent, too!


Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

I really enjoyed it. I have yet to properly read its predecessor, but Beast Hunters has me intrigued to the point that I'm adding it to my must read list for the coming months. There are hints at the past, with the games, and hints at the present/future, with the animated series, but still lives and works perfectly well by itself.



All in all, a very pleasant surprise. There are some minor flaws, but they can be overlooked in view of the full experience, and they really do not detract from the enjoyment of the issue. If you haven't read issue 1, pick it up as soon as you can, and sink your teeth into this well fleshed-out new series.

Va'al wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Also, cool to see you're on the news team now Va'al!

Only just spotted this. Thanks!
I kind of took your place as the token European.

I was pleasantly surprised by this series, and I'll show it in the review coming up later today. I think you should give it a look.

Then I might take look, it does sound and look interesting.

You're my replacement? Do you also have violent outbursts on the forums every couple of days

The official Transformers facebook page has posted a Creator Commentary for Transformers Prime Beast Hunters #2 with series writer Mairghread Scott. We've mirrored the session below for those without facebook access.

PAGE 1: What's your approach to Kickback in this series? How do you make him different from other versions of the character?

MAIRGHREAD SCOTT: I wanted to preserve the voice Kickback had in the FALL OF CYBERTRON videogame. It was a really distinctive speech pattern and a lot of fun to write. Beyond that, I just wanted to make him wheedle-y enough to be a fun Decepticon, but responsible enough to be a believable leader.

PAGE 2: With so many fights in Transformers, how do you try and make each one a little bit different? Is it a big challenge?

MAIRGHREAD SCOTT: “Who is in the fight” and “where are they,” are the most important aspects of a unique fight scene. Can someone fly? Are there narrow places in the room to hide? Also, not everyone approaches a fight the same way. I think Kickback is happy to let others soften the Dinos up for him while he uses his speed to finish them off. Someone like Grimlock would never fight that way. Whenever I get stuck writing a fight scene I go back to those questions: who and where.

PAGE 3: What’s driving Sludge this time, after events in RAGE OF THE DINOBOTS and the FALL OF CYBERTRON comics? How has he changed as a character?

MAIRGHREAD SCOTT: In “Rage” Sludge was the ’bot with no problems, which is odd ’cause he was left to die, twice. You don’t just “not mind” something like that. So in this story, I wanted Sludge to actually face his past and move beyond it. This fight is the tipping point for Sludge to do just that.

PAGE 4: If you could pick a new alt mode for Sludge, what other Dinosaur would you pick?

MAIRGHREAD SCOTT: An Ankylosaurus. Sludge is a more defensive-minded fighter than the average Dinobot and I’d have his tail turn into a hammer in ’bot mode. It’s always fun to have design elements multi-task like that.

PAGE 5: If we go back in time and give Sludge the same choices, do you think he would still become a Dinobot or choose to go a completely different route?

MAIRGHREAD SCOTT: Well none of the Dinobots had a choice in the matter. I know that Sludge would never have left his friends to go into a fight without him, but given the choice I don’t think that Sludge would have become a Dinobot. In fact, if it weren’t for the caste system and the war, I don’t know that he’d have become a soldier at all.

Fascinating insight about Sludge... that is, as usual, briefly addressed and then never brought up again.

I realize Sludge is kind of a flat character, but Fall of Cybertron gave him a reason to be angry at Grimlock, and that's just being swept under the rug. As nice as it is to know Scott has thought about all this, it's a shame to see it resolved without ANY substantial character conflict.

Henry921 wrote:Fascinating insight about Sludge... that is, as usual, briefly addressed and then never brought up again.

I realize Sludge is kind of a flat character, but Fall of Cybertron gave him a reason to be angry at Grimlock, and that's just being swept under the rug. As nice as it is to know Scott has thought about all this, it's a shame to see it resolved without ANY substantial character conflict.

I think it's a bit of a leap to say everything is resolved now between Sludge and Grimlock. The first issue did a pretty good job of presenting Grimlock as massively unstable, even compared to previous Grimlocks. That means at some point in the future he won't be so understanding when Sludge doesn't listen, and then we'll see that anger come boiling over. Plus, it wouldn't really make sense for these two to come to blows this quickly just because an Insecticon makes fun of Sludge when they've been successfully keeping themselves in check for so long. Just give it time.