The Energon Pub

..........I hate these Transformer crossovers with books that only have humans. The premise is always the same.

-Heroic Autobots going out of their way to save stupid, ungrateful, humans.

-Decepticons with ongoing connection with humans become big dumb oafs who have turned a new leaf.

OR

-Sunstreaker, Ramjet, Dirge, Blitzwing, SkyWarp and now Astrotrain becoming some uninteresting human Tyrant or boring team of human's new pet weapon's plot, in order to...blah, blah, blah!

I get that it's Earth and you can't rule out humans completely but this was crap that put people off during Costa's era, making RID and MTMTE based on cybertron and outer space a breath of fresh air.

Now they're back on Earth and overdoing it with crossovers with human characters I couldn't care less about killing or picking apart popular Autobots and Decepticons characters I actually do like!

To be fair Sunstorm died on Cybertron. Shame, really.

And while I generally share the same view a lot of the time, I actually feel that RiD/Transformers/OP is handling things in a very interesting way since there are humans who are legitimately in favour of Optimus and the Autobots... and those that do have concerns mostly have them for very good reasons considering both AHM and the sort of person Optimus has become and is becoming.

The biggest problem has been just how forceful the Revolution event was, but I think OP has handled it in the best way so far - essentially just using G.I.Joe as a way to give some identity to the military that inevitably gets involved; and absorbing their own staple human characters (Talon, Spike etc.) into those G.I. Joe ranks along with a couple actually established Joes. It makes it feel less like a forced crossover and more just, "this is what our military interacting with Optimus is like now and you can find out more about them in their own book".

At least it doesn't feel the need to have Jetfire or Stormclash say "Look, guys! We've got the CROWN JEWEL OF THE HASBRO UNIVERSE incoming!"

Kurona wrote:At least it doesn't feel the need to have Jetfire or Stormclash say "Look, guys! We've got the CROWN JEWEL OF THE HASBRO UNIVERSE incoming!"

Just you wait.

Va'al wrote:We may not be offering full coverage of the Hasbro Universe over at IDW,

Thankfully we have the IDW Hasbro Wiki to help out with that.

I can't say I'm at all happy about the whole Hasbro Universe being one thing. I really have an intense dislike for ROM, M.A.S.K and Micronauts and can't say I'm in love with GI Joe enough to want it in my Transformers, either.

Though I'm of a similar disposition when it comes to a lot of other comic books as well - once things become a cooking pot of several titles it just feels like any suspension of disbelief gets tossed out the window as a merry-go-round of heroes carousel around the story.

Amelie wrote:I can't say I'm at all happy about the whole Hasbro Universe being one thing. I really have an intense dislike for ROM, M.A.S.K and Micronauts and can't say I'm in love with GI Joe enough to want it in my Transformers, either.

Though I'm of a similar disposition when it comes to a lot of other comic books as well - once things become a cooking pot of several titles it just feels like any suspension of disbelief gets tossed out the window as a merry-go-round of heroes carousel around the story.

This!!!!

Sabrblade wrote:

Va'al wrote:We may not be offering full coverage of the Hasbro Universe over at IDW,

Thankfully we have the IDW Hasbro Wiki to help out with that.

You misunderstand. We have a database with everything in it, I just cannot be arsed to review all of it because it really isn't good enough to warrant it.

It's just not worth any effort.

I haven't read an IDW GI Joe comic in a long time and this preview reminds me why. Utter garbage.

Well, somehow Astrotrain's head made it back. funny how the head has become the popular thing to find nowadays.

I also agree with the HU stuff. I don't like GI Joe much, have no interest in Micronauts, ROM, or MASK, and they still have Blitzwing, Skywarp, and now Astrotain. lame.

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Well, somehow Astrotrain's head made it back. funny how the head has become the popular thing to find nowadays.

I also agree with the HU stuff. I don't like GI Joe much, have no interest in Micronauts, ROM, or MASK, and they still have Blitzwing, Skywarp, and now Astrotain. lame.

To be fair those three are essentially bit-players.

Oh, sure, they were always on Megatron's main little squad; but they never really got any focus or character. For what it's worth, MASK and GI Joe might as well have gotten Rippersnapper or Slog or G2 Volt.

Kurona wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Well, somehow Astrotrain's head made it back. funny how the head has become the popular thing to find nowadays.

I also agree with the HU stuff. I don't like GI Joe much, have no interest in Micronauts, ROM, or MASK, and they still have Blitzwing, Skywarp, and now Astrotain. lame.

To be fair those three are essentially bit-players.

Oh, sure, they were always on Megatron's main little squad; but they never really got any focus or character. For what it's worth, MASK and GI Joe might as well have gotten Rippersnapper or Slog or G2 Volt.

Yeah, but Skywarp was getting a decent background storyline throughout the RiD season 2, Astrotrain is my favorite G1 con, and Blitzwing is still just strung up. I want them back with the Transformers, not in the other stories, because I just don't care for those stories.

I am thoroughly enjoying Revolutionaries though, mainly cause of Action man and Kup

Astrotrain's head? Ok, I'm in. I'll be buying this one.

Could this relate to headmasters in some way?

Microraptor wrote:Could this relate to headmasters in some way?

Most likely relates to the Titan Masters

When MASK does a better job GI Joeing than GI JOE.

Ebonyleopard wrote:When MASK does a better job GI Joeing than GI JOE.

Ha!

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Kurona wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Well, somehow Astrotrain's head made it back. funny how the head has become the popular thing to find nowadays.

I also agree with the HU stuff. I don't like GI Joe much, have no interest in Micronauts, ROM, or MASK, and they still have Blitzwing, Skywarp, and now Astrotain. lame.

To be fair those three are essentially bit-players.

Oh, sure, they were always on Megatron's main little squad; but they never really got any focus or character. For what it's worth, MASK and GI Joe might as well have gotten Rippersnapper or Slog or G2 Volt.

Yeah, but Skywarp was getting a decent background storyline throughout the RiD season 2, Astrotrain is my favorite G1 con, and Blitzwing is still just strung up. I want them back with the Transformers, not in the other stories, because I just don't care for those stories.

I am thoroughly enjoying Revolutionaries though, mainly cause of Action man and Kup

Wait. They have Skywarp? Who has Skywarp? How and when did they get Skywarp?

So now that's two triple changers gathered by the humans. I wonder if that's coincidence?

lowman_x wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Kurona wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Well, somehow Astrotrain's head made it back. funny how the head has become the popular thing to find nowadays.

I also agree with the HU stuff. I don't like GI Joe much, have no interest in Micronauts, ROM, or MASK, and they still have Blitzwing, Skywarp, and now Astrotain. lame.

To be fair those three are essentially bit-players.

Oh, sure, they were always on Megatron's main little squad; but they never really got any focus or character. For what it's worth, MASK and GI Joe might as well have gotten Rippersnapper or Slog or G2 Volt.

Yeah, but Skywarp was getting a decent background storyline throughout the RiD season 2, Astrotrain is my favorite G1 con, and Blitzwing is still just strung up. I want them back with the Transformers, not in the other stories, because I just don't care for those stories.

I am thoroughly enjoying Revolutionaries though, mainly cause of Action man and Kup

Wait. They have Skywarp? Who has Skywarp? How and when did they get Skywarp?

So now that's two triple changers gathered by the humans. I wonder if that's coincidence?

Skywarp turncoated and agreed to help Blackrock escape in one of the last issues of Transformers (before the OP name change) likely because of extreme abuse from Galvatron but not wanting to go over to the Autobots and/or Soundwave. He was secured as an 'asset' of the government and promptly picked up by G.I. Joe where he now cameos shows up occasionally really feels like he's only there and given a couple token panels to give the illusion of a wider universe stars in their book; working with them in exchange for getting his Teleportation power working properly again.

Should've just named Micronauts "Diaclone" and given them driver suits and some vehicles. I've posted this before, I realize.

On the other hand, I had an epiphany this week that the three TF ongoings really aren't affected by any of the Hasbro stuff right in this immediate moment. If you think the GI Joes in OP prove that, you're either not reading it or don't remember much from exRiD/TF or the Costa run.

Put another way, I understand being put off my their larger marketing approach but if you cut through the hype there's not much to be sour about. I think there's a pretty good balance of stuff leaving other stuff be.

Upset about a character? Understandable, but it's a big world even with just TFs and consider the alternative of them getting out up on a shelf only to get pulled out for a bit role twice a year at best. Skywarp fan that hates his current role? Upset that Kup is pals with Action Man? As a big fan of Grimlock let me play my tiny violin for you. Five issues in five years now? ;_;

Hasbro doesn't really interfere with IDW until the start of a new line - so the starts of Thrilling 30, Combiner Wars and Titans Return were the only times it was visible. Even Bruticus, Sky Reign and Galvatronus don't feel like IDW needed to do it to appease Hasbro, but just something they wanted to do and saw the opportunity for.

Sometimes it works out happily. Thrilling 30 worked out almost perfectly; the whole point of the story at the time was that so many characters were returning to Cybertron and there'd be new main characters to deal with. Thrilling 30 essentially just told them which characters those were - and even better, this was easily one of the most diverse lines in years as it drew on all different areas of the franchise. Even other things like Starscream looking like Armada Starscream worked out because it's friggin' Starscream, of course the narcissistic **** would get a new body as soon as he's crowned king.

... and then, sometimes, it's Combiner Wars. But I've rambled on enough for one post; I'm not sure I need to explain why what happened with Devastator and Prowl was not a smooth transition and clearly wouldn't have happened if not for the toys.

If you've been following promotional material, you'll know that The Crown Jewel of the Hasbro Universe is due for another issue this week, as IDW Publishing releases issue #4 of G.I. Joe - now featuring extra Skywarp! Check out below a full sparkling preview, and let us know if you're reading the series what you think of it so far.

G.I. JOE #4
Aubrey Sitterson (w) • Giannis Milonogiannis (a) • Aaron Conley (c)
Outnumbered and outgunned, the G.I. Joe field team hits the road with a captive and ranting Crystal Ball, but the Dreadnoks are hot on their heels! Meanwhile, Lady Jaye & Gung-Ho, with their cover blown, struggle to fight their way out of Athens. And a terrifying new threat rears its head in the Crown Jewel of the Hasbro Universe! From the explosive creative team of Aubrey Sitterson (Street Fighter x G.I. Joe) and Giannis Milonogiannis (Prophet).
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Bullet points: 
Variant cover by Ben Marra!

Go joe news on transformers site did I miss something this would usually appear on hisstank not seibertron

dragons wrote:Go joe news on transformers site did I miss something this would usually appear on hisstank not seibertron

Simple - Skywarp's in it.

Surely we gotta have news on "The Crown Jewel of the Hasbro Universe" right? I mean, you see G.I. Joe stuff everywhere, right?

It's gotta be the least supported Hasbro product they have. "Crown Jewel" indeed.

The real jewels are the 10 year running comics line. You know, the ones with an award winning comic book? No? Silly me.

dragons wrote:Go joe news on transformers site did I miss something this would usually appear on hisstank not seibertron

Because Skywarp is literally a Joe. You indeed missed the following, I suppose -

The Transformers comics are now canonically taking place in the same universe as the following Hasbro franchises: G.I. Joe, Rom, M.A.S.K., Micronauts, Action Man, Jem and The Holograms (The Misfits too by association), and they've hinted strongly at Visionaries and Inhumanoids joining the party by year's end.

Oh and TF: Hearts of Steel is somehow involved too.

It's a brave new world. Some of the books are good, some are terrible, but if they can get this scheduling backlog sorted it may just ramp up into one hell of a ride.