The Energon Pub

[D-Maximal_Primal]

BUSTER HAS FLOATIES

[Va'al]

This is fun. Not news, but definitely fun.
Burcham playing with colours.

[william-james88]

iTunes has a preview up for the upcoming Optimus Prime 7 comic.

Here is a description followed by the preview, enjoy!

Description
With the Junkion invasion resolved peacefully, Optimus Prime takes a moment to plan the Autobot's next move on Earth.

[WreckerJack]

Preview World has posted Transformers: Optimus Prime #8 incentive cover and subscription cover B. We have posted them below so you can have a look to decide which cover you'd like before they become available.

The summary tells us that Jazz will have a leading role in this issue:

“Jazz confronts his past-and the Autobot’s future-in front of millions of television viewers. But will he make the people of Earth understand Optimus Prime’s mission… or turn against it?”

The incentive cover has Optimus Prime and the Subscription cover features Jetfire. these comics will be available on June 14th, 2017.

[Kurona]

You know when you've recently fallen in love with a character who hasn't had the best past and/or recent history, so seeing them smiling in a peaceful situation by themselves doing something they probably enjoy makes you happy?

God I love that Jetfire cover.

[Va'al]

This is a really interesting analysis of Zama's layout work.
http://refinedrobotco.blogspot.it/2017/ ... -zama.html

Zama deploys some of those tools mentioned to work within the tight spaces of the page, to create tension and demonstrate space or a lack thereof. I want to break down two of my favourite pages from issue two. The interrogation of Jetfire by Prowl, two pages, one room.

[Va'al]

With the embargo broken by the regular sites, we can also share the preview directly from IDW for next week's Transformers comic Optimus Prime #7! Check out the full preview below, and let us know what you think of the book so far - while we prepare the review for its release!

Optimus Prime #7
John Barber (w) • Priscilla Tramontano (a) • Kei Zama (c)
With the Junkion invasion resolved peacefully, Optimus Prime takes a moment to plan the Autobot's next move on Earth.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

[Va'al]

With issue #7 hitting the stands next week, artist Kei Zama has shown off (after Previews World revealed it) the art for the following book in the Optimus Prime ongoing series from IDW Publishing - in which Casey Coller and JP Bove take on art duties! Lineart by Zama, and colours by Josh Burcham, you can check it out mirrored below.

(W) John Barber (A) Casey W. Coller (CA) Kei Zama
Jazz confronts his past-and the Autobot's future-in front of millions of television viewers. But will he make the people of Earth understand Optimus Prime's mission... or turn against it?

[steve2275]

love all the arts

[budmaloney]

I think the IDW Transformers series stopped being worth it as Combiner Wars started and the Titans Return finished. They felt so all over the place and IDW topped it off with Revolution which made no sense to me and just completely divested me from the series. MTME was the only thing I found made sense. It may be just me, but fragmenting the characters and stories with the Hasbro Universe became really confusing and difficult to follow. I haven't read Optimus Prime, and I'm not sure I will, but if Pyra Magna becomes the next leader of the Autobots or carries the matrix, I'd probably jump in. For now it's the long wait for Lost Light. Keep going strong Roberts.

[Kurona]

I'd say that's a shame because if anything, Optimus Prime and Till All Are One have managed to supersede and be much better than their predecessors; creating probably some of the best Transformers stories period. Till All Are One in particular is what I'd consider to be the greatest of the three ongoings this year, but Optimus Prime is not far behind at all.

[budmaloney]

The very last comic I read other than Lost Light, was the Titans Return Sentinel Prime and Optimus Raising Metroplex from the ground. So if I wanted to jump in, should I go with TAO since you recommend it? Then go Optimus? But won't I be lost with the whole ROM , Micronauts thing? Or will there be a trade coming out that consolidates the important connections.

[Kurona]

The very last comic I read other than Lost Light, was the Titans Return Sentinel Prime and Optimus Raising Metroplex from the ground. So if I wanted to jump in, should I go with TAO since you recommend it? Then go Optimus? But won't I be lost with the whole ROM , Micronauts thing? Or will there be a trade coming out that consolidates the important connections.

Right now the Hasbro Universe has been done how a shared universe should in theory be done best - you don't need to read ROM or GI Joe or whatever to follow what's going on in the one comic you actually want to read. They will provide extra details and context on what's going on in other places in the world; but thankfully, all the comics - including Optimus Prime - can act independently of each other. Essentially all you need to know is that G.I. Joe has replaced EDC - and even then the team seen interacting with Prime's team is largely made up of characters that were in ex-RiD; Spike, Talon etc.
So yeah, you can jump right in. You could read Revolution for a bit of extra context if you want, but to be honest it's not a very good story and I'd recommend just looking at a wikipedia article summary instead.

Come to think of it, your concerns aren't exactly uncommon - I'm not surprised that Revolution would make you hesitant to jump in, nor can I blame you; shared universe deals are always a bit iffy especially when a lot of people have grown tired and fatigued of constant events in a lot of comics. Maybe I should write up an article on this...

[D-Maximal_Primal]

This comic has made me really like Jetfire. I love what they did with his background, and this is where he and the Technobot's relationship starts! Yay!

I think those 6 go well together, and I'm glad the technobots are actually going to be in a comic again.

[Kurona]

This comic has made me really like Jetfire. I love what they did with his background, and this is where he and the Technobot's relationship starts! Yay!

I think those 6 go well together, and I'm glad the technobots are actually going to be in a comic again.

It's also kind of nice that they're continuing the theme of use-the-dead-guys in flashbacks. First Outback, then Horri-Bull, and now Nosecone. It's like Skids' flashbacks in MTMTE #48 and #49 where all those dead Predators and such showed up - I'm not sure if I should look into any deeper meaning here or if it's just kind of a cool thing.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

This comic has made me really like Jetfire. I love what they did with his background, and this is where he and the Technobot's relationship starts! Yay!

I think those 6 go well together, and I'm glad the technobots are actually going to be in a comic again.

It's also kind of nice that they're continuing the theme of use-the-dead-guys in flashbacks. First Outback, then Horri-Bull, and now Nosecone. It's like Skids' flashbacks in MTMTE #48 and #49 where all those dead Predators and such showed up - I'm not sure if I should look into any deeper meaning here or if it's just kind of a cool thing.

we'll say cool thing. Cool things are cool

[Va'al]

The Heart in the Machine
(Spoiler free-ish)

Synopsis
With the Junkion invasion resolved peacefully, Optimus Prime takes a moment to plan the Autobot's next move on Earth.

Look at this panel and smile

Story

As we saw last month, the first arc of the new ongoing series focusing on Optimus Prime - but really on Earth after Optimus annexed it to the Council of Worlds (yay space neocolonialism) - and the rebuilding phase is starting. Quite literally. But is everything as it seems in the newtopia of Little Cybertron?

..then this one, and weep

The usual John Barber device of captions to help the narration along is foregone here, in favour of the established parallels with flashbacks, and actual breathing space in character interactions, starting with Optimus and the President of the US, and Jazz's role in the next issue (but also the past). A change of pace, for sure, and a welcome one given the themes addressed in the book.

lol sex joke

Not only do we have parallels drawn between violence, guns and ostracism (in particular between Jetfire of the past and Optimus of the present), there are some less than subtle political commentaries on discrimination based on appearance or 'build', if you will - without ever getting preachy or entirely overt. More on this below.

Functionism. Casually

In terms of plot advancement, then, there is A LOT happening in the book too. A very nice balance achieved in using the characters and their actions/words to seed where the story might be going from here, with Arcee, the colonist recruits, Jazz - and most of all, of course, Pyra Magna.

Art

Taking the reins from Zama, Priscilla Tramontano shines as the artist on the book - and working on both lineart and colouring for the issue - especially in one specific case I want to address: the faceplateless Optimus. That, right there, is part of visual storytelling: Optimus at his non-warring, non-fighting, but coming face-to-face with his realisation from last issue, and as he speaks to humanity on a more common level.

How accessible does he look, right here?

Not the sole point to highlight about the art, of course, but one I wanted to reiterate nonetheless. Colour-wise, I found it fascinating how Tramontano was able to mimic Burcham's take so far, with the grainier texture, and add some extra light for the superficially lighter tone of the book, like a vibrant comma in the long sentence that is the ongoing series.

(though Rust Dust is missing a little red)

The lack of that many captions, though still some snarky name tags float around, means that we don't have as much from the hands of Tom B. Long - though there is a very good KRUNG if you wait for it. As for covers, we've seen all of them previously, bar Tramontano's own (in the thumbnail), featuring the Junkion-Optimus monument by Casey Coller and JP Bove, and its parody by Andrew Griffith and Josh Perez, plus of course the regular cover by Zama and Burcham. All can be seen in our database listing here!

Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

There is a lot more that can be said about this issue, for which I have very little time and space - but some of my thoughts on it are bounced off the Twincast in episode 175 of the podcast, due soon. In the meantime, I wanted to point out that of the many interactions we see in the book, I was glad to have something dealing with Arcee, and Aileron's role is still one that I'm intrigued about.

Am I the only one hearing ominous-ness here..?

Pyra Magna is still, however, the biggest presence outside of the titular character, even by just looking at the covers. There is a lot of talk not only about politics but also about faith (again, more thoughts in the podcast episode) in how her and OP interact and confront each other, and there is a lot - a lot - more to come out of this series.

. ½ out of

[Randomhero]

I really enjoyed this issue. It was a "after the dust has settled" issue. It was nice to see nosecone pop up for a flashback since the poor guy has been dead for 6 years.

[ScottyP]

I despised the crosshatching texture, or at least my eyes did. Dizzying in a weird sort of way.

That aside, really darn good issue and the direction Pyra Magna is going in is fantastic fun to behold.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Now mind you I think it is a good thing for the book, but damn does Pyra piss me off! I'm not sure what it is about her, but she makes me grumpy and generally Brawn-y when I see her and hear her voice (if you call it that, since we now have a voice actor for her), but it's good this time! It adds some tension to the book for me and adds that somewhat good character who also makes her pages more interesting. Slide will totally be her slidekick too when she tries to overthrow Prime (which I still believe will lead into the IDW Power of the Primes thingy, we all know it's coming).

Also, Sideswipe. I know he comes back in 2 issues, but I love what they have done with him and Arcee. I feel like she will be crucial in his "recovery" (based on the cover if you can call it that) too, using her experience coupled with with Aileron's words

[Kurona]

hear her voice (if you call it that, since we now have a voice actor for her)

Wait, what? Who?!

[D-Maximal_Primal]

hear her voice (if you call it that, since we now have a voice actor for her)

Wait, what? Who?!

Marissa mentioned that Pyra sounds like Elizabeth Taylor

[Kurona]

hear her voice (if you call it that, since we now have a voice actor for her)

Wait, what? Who?!

Marissa mentioned that Pyra sounds like Elizabeth Taylor

Oooh right, durr. That's fun~

[ScottyP]

hear her voice (if you call it that, since we now have a voice actor for her)

Wait, what? Who?!

Marissa mentioned that Pyra sounds like Elizabeth Taylor

Oooh right, durr. That's fun~

It's all fun and games until the pungent scent of White Diamonds perfume hits your nose

[Va'al]

I despised the crosshatching texture, or at least my eyes did. Dizzying in a weird sort of way.

I can see how that might affect some readers, actually, now that you mention it.

I thought it was a very good way of blending Tramontano's glossier colouring style with Burcham's texture.