The Energon Pub

Arcee is coolio. And not just because she is female... And she doesn't even like being female. I really like how the story dealt with her new character and her single-minded goal.


Magnus is one bad head hunter. I wonder how it makes him feel that the ineptitude of others keeps freeing all of his prisoners.

Lots of guest stars, but WTH, if this Garris-9 base is the place to put high level prisoners and such...shouldn't it be better protected? What is Fort Max's problem? Total wuss?

I like how Jetfire took a 'scientific' interest in her, and they tried to explain genders and why pronouns like he and him are applied to everyone, but Arcee...but if Megatron Origins took place before this, shouldn't that already be established, since there were 'female' bots at the funeral for Fastback and Bumper?

I hope that Jetfire and the technobots got enough info to make gestalt experiments of their own!

And do you think the cons took the other sparks as well?

Lovely book, looking forward to hearing others thoughts.

I've heard a lot of uproar over Arcee being a "Trannie" in this story.

I see what people are getting at by pointing that out, but it did not occur to me as I read the story.

To be honest, I think I read it assuming that the J man had created her and reconfigured her spark prior to building her body.

Other people were reading it as Jhiaxus took a "male" transformer and changed its gener to female. I see what they mean, but I didn't get that out of it....

One other really good point that was discussed elsewhere was that Arcee didn't change genders at all. The poster stated that essentially, Arcee was the first TF with Gender. So, basically, though they used the 'he' and 'his' pronouns, there were no meanings that were gender specific to those words before Arcee came to be.

At any rate, I really like Arcee as the Valkyrie she's supposed to be. I was really tempted to go dig out of storage all my Energon fembots and do a neat-o display after reading the book. I'm glad I already own those figures. I know for a fact I would have been scouring eBay to buy them (and all the color variants...) if I did not have them.

It's a great Issue, and a damn good read.

Spotlight Arcee now ranks with Spotlight Shockwave, Prime and Galvatron as real "must read" issues that tie heavily into the main book.

I like that Furman did not focus on the gender issue too much, instead writing a book that really did not focus all that much on Arcee. The remainder of my post is spoiler-ific, reader beware.

The cameos were great, Loved the Pretenders all being imprisoned, and Banzaitron was a nice touch. Having the prisoners sparks removed and their bodies kept in pieces is also a nice touch, Transformers kept in a physical jail always seemed daft to me, especially when they always have so many ways of busting out. This way escape is nigh impossible without help.

We got our first glimpse of Jhiaxus (via screen), Fortress is similar in size to Ultra Magnus, I wonder what road Furman will take him down. Dealer was given a brief mention, I wonder how he got his information, surely Prime would not have told Hotrod?

The use of the Combaticons was nice, I didnt expect to see Swindle and was not disappointed. It is now between the Combaticons (due to damage to Blast Off) and the Technobots as to who will be converted into the next "Gestalt". My money has been on the Technobots as soon as I read Spotlight Prime, but I wouldnt put it past the Decepticons to use the technology while they still didnt fully comprehend it, making Bruticus as dumb as Monstuctor, while Jetfire will take his time to improve the technology.

And why the hell is Prime bothering to get to Garrus 9? The battle is over, there is nothing he or his team can do now.

tigertracks 24 wrote::shock:

Arcee is coolio. And not just because she is female... And she doesn't even like being female. I really like how the story dealt with her new character and her single-minded goal.


Magnus is one bad head hunter. I wonder how it makes him feel that the ineptitude of others keeps freeing all of his prisoners.

Lots of guest stars, but WTH, if this Garris-9 base is the place to put high level prisoners and such...shouldn't it be better protected? What is Fort Max's problem? Total wuss?

I like how Jetfire took a 'scientific' interest in her, and they tried to explain genders and why pronouns like he and him are applied to everyone, but Arcee...but if Megatron Origins took place before this, shouldn't that already be established, since there were 'female' bots at the funeral for Fastback and Bumper?

I hope that Jetfire and the technobots got enough info to make gestalt experiments of their own!

And do you think the cons took the other sparks as well?

Lovely book, looking forward to hearing others thoughts.

Remember Jhiaxus' time came well before factions. Who knows how long he had experimented on Transformers under Nova Prime before the Ark-1 trip. Apparently, by the time the Great War started he had perfected the gender thing before he left.

Aw man, I read this and was blown away. Arcee is the result of a botched sex change experimental procedure. Wow. Just wow.

No wonder she is batcrap crazy.


I agree with the notion that the Combaticons are the first Decepticon gestalt that will be the dumb Bruticus while the brainy Jetfire makes the Computron.

i_amtrunks wrote:The use of the Combaticons was nice, I didnt expect to see Swindle and was not disappointed. It is now between the Combaticons (due to damage to Blast Off) and the Technobots as to who will be converted into the next "Gestalt". My money has been on the Technobots as soon as I read Spotlight Prime, but I wouldnt put it past the Decepticons to use the technology while they still didnt fully comprehend it, making Bruticus as dumb as Monstuctor, while Jetfire will take his time to improve the technology.

And why the hell is Prime bothering to get to Garrus 9? The battle is over, there is nothing he or his team can do now.

I believe that Prime is responding to Fortress Maximus' distress call: "This is Fortress Maximus sending to all Tactical Response Units in sublight transit distance to Garrus-9."Now if you look back to Devastation #5, Prime says, "The facility on Garrus-9 has been breached...We're the nearest available." Actually, it makes a lot of sense for Prime to leave earth. On several occasions, we've seen how he reallocates resources based on priority as needs arise.

I think that when we look in at the end of Devastation #5, Prime is leaving right after the distress call. He probably doesn't have an update that yet. OR maybe they are going to try and intercept Banzaitron's crew before they make a clean getaway. Either way, things are becoming more and more interesting. This seems to set up All Hail Megatron because if they do go after Banzaitron, they'll have their hands full with the Combaticons. That could become quite the chase.

I have to say that after reading the speculation and art preview threads for Spotlight Arcee, I was most suprised when I read the issue last night.

I don't think she's crazy at all. I totally didn't get that. She was violated by a crazy doctor and out for revenge. Like in a "Kill Bill" type of way, calculating, clear headed and determined. Batslag crazy? No. She's just got one hell of a priority.

Something tells me if we or Magnus or anyone else knew what she did, and had the inside scoop on what Jihaxus was really up to, nobody would find her crazy at all. If anyone, Optimus should be able to empathize with her. I think he got enough of a glimpse of what she knows to understand her position. Obviously, he made her priority his own when they pulled out of the Earth conflict.

Very cool issue!

W00T! Jhiaxus makes a appearance again, and he looks like a updated version of his G2 incarnation

Arcee was pretty badass, she finally got promoted from being a babysitter to a psycho killingmachine.

All Hail Megatron will be in continuity?

MYoung23 wrote:All Hail Megatron will be in continuity?

See, I don't think it is, but others are talking as if it is, or could be.

But I choose to believe it is not.

MYoung23 wrote:All Hail Megatron will be in continuity?

Apparently...according to author Shane McCarthy. Source.


I thought I'd drop by and say hello. 'Focus On' is due to hit the shelves soon and it's great to see everyone getting excited about 'All Hail'. I'm a big TF fan myself and if you guys have half the fun reading it as I'm having writing it you won't have anything to worry about.

Anyway, I'm not one for spilling the beans completely (we buy comics for a reason, I like my surprises on the pages) but I wanted to at least drop a hint or two your way since being supporters of these boards should come with some perks right?

Hints:

1) Yes, it's 'in continuity'.
2) No, it's not a 'world without Autobots' (that was a misquote from a television interview I did)
3) F-15s? Hell yes.


Where EXACTLY it fits in continuity is still the topic of much speculation. Of course, we still don't have definitive answers on ANYTHING, but I'm starting to think that it is by design. FYI, there is a reason that we haven't seen the Su cover of Devastation #6...it's quite the spoiler. The only reason I bring that up is maybe IDW is trying to leave more surprises (e.g. No more 5-page previews, not seeing all the covers, still no synopsis for All Hail, etc).

clrobe wrote:

MYoung23 wrote:All Hail Megatron will be in continuity?

Apparently...according to author Shane McCarthy. Source.


I thought I'd drop by and say hello. 'Focus On' is due to hit the shelves soon and it's great to see everyone getting excited about 'All Hail'. I'm a big TF fan myself and if you guys have half the fun reading it as I'm having writing it you won't have anything to worry about.

Anyway, I'm not one for spilling the beans completely (we buy comics for a reason, I like my surprises on the pages) but I wanted to at least drop a hint or two your way since being supporters of these boards should come with some perks right?

Hints:

1) Yes, it's 'in continuity'.
2) No, it's not a 'world without Autobots' (that was a misquote from a television interview I did)
3) F-15s? Hell yes.


Where EXACTLY it fits in continuity is still the topic of much speculation. Of course, we still don't have definitive answers on ANYTHING, but I'm starting to think that it is by design. FYI, there is a reason that we haven't seen the Su cover of Devastation #6...it's quite the spoiler. The only reason I bring that up is maybe IDW is trying to leave more surprises (e.g. No more 5-page previews, not seeing all the covers, still no synopsis for All Hail, etc).

After this I change my answer to that it is of course in continuity!

i speculate that it will be based on earth, decepticons vs dinobots, while the autobots are off planet.

I think "All Hail" since it is continuity is when Sunstreaker Headmaster comes into his own.

Definately an interesting story, explaining how "genders" exist in a world of machines. I also don't see a "trannie" slant on this - how Arcee became a "she" is handled so that it's still fairly ambigous. I also get the sense that Banzitron is an independent warlord - Decepticon by allegiance for certain, but not really within the typical command structure, unless Megatron gives him some autonomy.

But to be honest, I thought that the revelation that Arcee was a remnant of Jhiaxus and Nova Primes earlier experiments was somewhat predictable.

Good story, but I'm unsure about how to feel about what is sure to be a tragic character in Arcee. It seems kind of forced (in the fact that it appeases those who hated her because she was a pink robot and a "girl"). But I'm really anxious to see how female Transformers are explained.

Personally, I've never really been offended by the concept of female Transformers, since most Transformers are very "human" already. However, Furman and co. have made this universe very exciting with little reliance on the past, so let's see how this plays out.

The last couple of issues of Devastation were -epic- (and I mean Target: 2006 epic) so I'm really waiting with baited breath to see how that chapter closes.

Oh it was a good read. I loved all the guest stars in it. I look forward to Mirage and Grimlock and I even think Wheelie will be a good read. I think Fort Max needs some more story time, maybe a Spotlight. The only thing bad about Devastation ending is the wait before the next series. I think TF could use a second ongoing series and not be Earth based but have each 6 part story arch deal with the different Autobot outpost and things like that.

I'm so upset about this! My local comic book store does not have this spotlight or the spotlight TPB yet. It's really annoying because I was REALLY looking forward to this.

It's random how that happens with them. Usually they're really good, but they missed issue 3 of Megatron Origins too, which meant I had to go get the TPB even though I already had 3 of the issues. ... meh.

Anybody else have problems like these? I was hoping nobody had gotten it, that way it would have just been a delay, but I'm not so sure now.

Ender

You didn't miss out much on Megatron Origins...........I assure you. Besides issue #1.

Anyway, great story, Furman doesn't disappoint and the art by Milne......AWESOME! Makes me wonder if the guy is too overworked that his Megatron Origin pencils really sucked!

This issue had some dip in the art quality in some minute instances in the last few pages but overall, including the colors reminded me of the DW days.

As for ArCee being the first in the series of gender specific 'bots, bugs are sure to come out (just take a look at Windows and a whole lot of software and hardware of the modern age) If I were Perceptor or Jetfire,I'd downloaded ArCee some personality stabilizing patches so as to harmonize her gender responses reactions)

fenrir72 wrote: If I were Perceptor or Jetfire,I'd downloaded ArCee some personality stabilizing patches so as to harmonize her gender responses reactions)

Nice. I loved the ish, cannot wait to read more... And unfortunately with Devastation done, my patience shall be tested.

Was the spelling of JI- AXE- US soley for the purpose of pronouncation or does it mean more like it did in G2?

wait so y'all are sayin' that "she" started out as a "he" until Jhiaxus's experimentations? Too bad, I kinda like this explanation for fem TF by "Perceptor" a fan did some years back:
"About Arcee, well, there are no female TFs because there technically isn't any male TFs. Humans sometimes, subconscieously or conscienously, give human traits to other lifeforms and with TFs, sometimes will get an individual that would appear to have more feminine characteristics so that you(humans) would classify it as a 'she'."

Finally got this yesterday.

So, what makes Arcee a 'she'? I don't get it. I understand that Jhiaxus altered her CNA but why has that made her a 'she'?

Leonardo wrote:Finally got this yesterday.

So, what makes Arcee a 'she'? I don't get it. I understand that Jhiaxus altered her CNA but why has that made her a 'she'?

Apparently somehow it effects others' perceptions of her as well. Sure she has human female physical attributes (sort of), but Bots in space wouldn't really know that, and yet they still refer to 'her' as a 'she' and not the 'he' that they use for everyone else. We need to see more interactions between the 'genders' to know for sure. Even though we saw some of the 'female' bots in Megs Origins, we are still unsure if there are any others besides Arcee out there...

That is a great question, but probably not one we'll get answered soon.

Leonardo wrote:Finally got this yesterday.

So, what makes Arcee a 'she'? I don't get it. I understand that Jhiaxus altered her CNA but why has that made her a 'she'?

So you are still alive!

as TT said, we dont get much detail in Arcee itself, and I doubt we will get too much more page space given to the topic, I think that it is in Furman's "I'm not 100% sure, and thus dont really want to touch it" pile.