The Energon Pub

The next chapter in IDW's Transformers is titled Devastation. A five page preview of Devastation has now appeared in IDW's Forums. IDW forum member spinoute has posted the preview here.

I was looking at the b&w pics of Hot Rod in his alt-mode, and I had to do a double take because I thought it was Tracks.

The humans on the cover pretty much put me off right away.

When will these story tellers realize the thing we'd like to see go away the most in TFs are the humans!

I wish people would stop bitching about the humans characters. Way to beat a dead horse, folks. Yes, they're not as interesting as the actual Transformers characters, but in Escalation they were only a sub-plot. The focus on them was minimal, yet it still keeps the story grounded.

Hot Rod's new alt mode is snazzy, suitable for the character too.

Cant wait for all the movie comics crap to go away, really really want Devastation and Beast Wars back in the fold!

I like that color image (I'm assuming its a cover). Hot Rod's alt mode is okay, considering the time period it is on earth. I mean, he does need to blend in, right?

without humans, wtf is the point of turning into a car as a disquise?

I think that is Tracks, not Hotrod.

Vectorshot wrote:I think that is Tracks, not Hotrod.

Could be. Looks enough like him.

Except Tracks hasn't been to Earth. Hot Rod has.

Hmm, if it is Hot Rod, the color scheme would be red, and if that's the case, Supercharged Rid Sideburn anyone? The resemblence is uncanny:



And where's the big yellow spoiler?

Well, it's about time they put Bumblebee back in there! I was starting to wonderif IDW forgot they put him in Infiltration. But where's Hot Rod's spoiler? It's been a pert of him for 21 years, why ditch it now? Still, this is better than Dreamwave...............

Duke of Luns wrote:
Hmm, if it is Hot Rod, the color scheme would be red, and if that's the case, Supercharged Rid Sideburn anyone? The resemblence is uncanny

You know, now that you mention it, it kinda really is.

when does Devastation release, again?

mightymax wrote:when does Devastation release, again?

September

Decepticlone Soundwave wrote:Well, it's about time they put Bumblebee back in there! I was starting to wonderif IDW forgot they put him in Infiltration. But where's Hot Rod's spoiler? It's been a pert of him for 21 years, why ditch it now? Still, this is better than Dreamwave...............

I have no idea why people keep saying this is better than Dreamwave. Dreamwave was the best at art, coloring, and stories. poopy what happened to the company, but what can you do? These IDW TF books are so visually bland(besides for the Don Figueroa stuff). They redesign these things as if they had never seen Transformers in the first place. That so called "Ark" on the cover of this book looks more like the freakin garbage collector from Junkion. The humans all look like they have on bad 80's work out clothes. IDW does some good books, but the TF G1 stuff is not among them. I used to collect the Dreamwave stuff with urgency, these however, i can usually wait on.

Duo Prime wrote: Dreamwave was the best at art, coloring, and stories.

lol! what?

Duo Prime wrote: The humans all look like they have on bad 80's work out clothes.

uhm...have you not been to a mall or any place with teens today? there are these creatures known as "emos". they wear bad 80's clothes.

IDW's stories aren't too bad, I find them enjoyable.

But I did enjoy Dreamwave more.

Just personal taste.

I think it's Hot Rod as he's already established as being in the game and we haven't seen much of Tracks at all. Also, one can see Hot Rod's chrome exhausts / wrist guns just underneath his door.

Good spot on the Sideburn comparison, by the by. Maybe the lack of yellow spoiler is to tie in with the Alt. release. I'm sure it'll still fold out in robot mode.

Duo Prime wrote:

Decepticlone Soundwave wrote:Well, it's about time they put Bumblebee back in there! I was starting to wonderif IDW forgot they put him in Infiltration. But where's Hot Rod's spoiler? It's been a pert of him for 21 years, why ditch it now? Still, this is better than Dreamwave...............

I have no idea why people keep saying this is better than Dreamwave. Dreamwave was the best at art, coloring, and stories. poopy what happened to the company, but what can you do? These IDW TF books are so visually bland(besides for the Don Figueroa stuff). They redesign these things as if they had never seen Transformers in the first place. That so called "Ark" on the cover of this book looks more like the freakin garbage collector from Junkion. The humans all look like they have on bad 80's work out clothes. IDW does some good books, but the TF G1 stuff is not among them. I used to collect the Dreamwave stuff with urgency, these however, i can usually wait on.

Y'know, I kinda agree here. I haven't been the biggest fan of IDW's G1 story arcs. They just don't pull me in the same way the DW ones did. Now, I do enjoy IDW's Spotlights, Movie Prequel, and BW series, but everything else has been kind of a let down (including the animated movie adaption). I am looking forward to the Megatron Origin story though.

It's good to see Bumblebee getting back in the action...

I admit, I was a bit confused when the trio of Hot Rod, Nightbeat, and Hardhead came into the main story arc (instead of the usual G1 cast), but it seems like Furman is wasting no time in demonstrating why those characters were chosen: Hot Rod's brash, youthful arrogance towards the end of Escalation, and now Nightbeat's sleuthing kicking-off the start of Devastation. Still unsure of Hardhead...either the "headmaster" thing draws him in, or he's there so an Autobot that can serve as fodder. Grim, but if it means Wheeljack or Jazz can get a bit more character development in...

As for criticisms comparing the IDW approach to the Dreamwave: I'm sorry if it offends you, but Pat Lee was an awful artist for the series, and it wasn't a shining moment for writing, either--admittedly, it was mostly service for G1 fans. I appreciate that with the new IDW books, they're trying to reboot the story while staying true to the original characters' personalities and the main premise of "robots in disguise." The designs of the robots--more technological detail, more "exposed" vehicle bits and pieces--reflect a solid attempt at remaining faithful to the original designs, but simultaneously treating them with a greater sense of realism. The presence of humans, in addition to giving new readers an "anchor" to the experience, also adds a unique element to the new story: it is as much an "alien" experience to the Autobots as it is to the humans, as seen in various little moments in the twelve issues so far. In an odd sort of way, the IDW series seems to reflect a sort-of "maturation" of the Transformers saga as a whole, despite some bumps in the road here-and-there.

That is, of course, unless the whole Unicron-Primus mythos comes back again. Oy...

Kranix-76 wrote: That is, of course, unless the whole Unicron-Primus mythos comes back again. Oy...

you...you just had to go and jinx it, didn't you?

I love Hot Rod's new look

JazZeke wrote:I wish people would stop bitching about the humans characters.

Yea, this particular group is pretty cool. I like Verity as a character.

Counterpunch wrote:

JazZeke wrote:I wish people would stop bitching about the humans characters.

Yea, this particular group is pretty cool. I like Verity as a character.

Yeah, she's really the only one I like.