The Energon Pub

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Some are just bitter that it never gave them what they wanted, others didn't like certain plot turns or that characters were killed. Funny thing is, writing the general complaints as generic like that means a lot of hate is actually applicable to all the comic industry. Marvel knows a lot of these woes

Marvel tends to catch more flack for that as it never reboots. Everything is technically canon until retconned away. The only time I would say the IDWverse faltered (from what I've read)is the Costa Run. Even then, Space Opera had some good interactions.

[ScottyP]

The first few comments were fun, wonder what's going on in the rest of this thread?

Sighs.

Yep.

[ZeroWolf]

Gentle reminder that IDWverse is (still) not the G1 fiction.

If something happened in G1, comics or cartoon, it has no bearing on IDW.

That's where it excels, when it does things not done before. Not always successfully EG Heart of Darkness, but IDWverse has broken more ground than much TF fiction before it. The status quo of G1 really holds Transformers back more often than it should.

Like I said, my main frustration is how one sided TF Fiction is at present. Transformers should be: 50/50
That's how it was sold from Day One. Over the years many writers have understood this EG Beast Wars crews having equal numbers etc Reading what I've read of IDWverse post-DoOP, the Cons have been marginalised in favour of colony worlds and those that have been given a higher profile aren't allowed to be Decepticons anymore.

I've always said the Decepticons need their own ongoing. One Bot book, One Con book. Have Roche & Roberts apply the tone of LSoTW to the Con book and Barber cover the Autobot one.

Ah but there's a little problem with that, the cons are more or less a spent force. When starscream solidfied his control just before dark Cybertron and said you can live in the city without badges or keep your badge and get exiled. There is too few cons now compared to the autobots and the colony world's (which are officially non aligned until the toy comes out which is when it gets a badge)

Also villain books never sell that we'll unless of course they go antihero...or they just make a Scavengers book. They we go IDW can just do that and everybody is happy

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Exactly. Akin to Star Wars, there should be balance in Transformers and there isn't. I would say that solely comes down to writer bias more than anything else.

Last Stand of The Wreckers was what I would expect a Decepticon book to be. Much like Megatron Origin. It's not about being a "villain" book as Super Hero comics would portray it, Within IDWverse (ignoring AHM) the Decepticons aren't villains. They were one of two equal sides in a Civil War. Sure some writers have since added some mustache twirling evil backstory text, but that doesn't strictly apply. Bot & Con is two sides of the same coin. I like that IDW keeps reiterating that, when Autobots try to distinguish themselves from Cons to other races and those people only see one race at war with itself. Not in the outright good faith the Autobots were given in Sunbow and other series.

All you need is the right pitch and the book would sell. If LoSTW sold well, there is no reason a book in the same vein wouldn't also.

As for those that turn Villains antihero, that usually just means the writer isn't good enough to write an engaging villain.

[ZeroWolf]

Or they don't want to write a character that gets their kicks doing villainous things...because if they aren't doing those deeds then they aren't a villian

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Or they don't want to write a character that gets their kicks doing villainous things...because if they aren't doing those deeds then they aren't a villian

The old saying often applies:
No one is the villain of their own story

It demonstrates limited creative ability if you can't diversify the characters you write about. I can think of many top tier writers that have no problems going from Superman rescuing a cat from a tree to Purifiers hanging young kids from a swing set with "Mutie" written on their corpses.

[ZeroWolf]

Small problem there though, did those purifiers act as the main characters in their own solo series? You say it's a bad writer thing but I don't see it that way, writers tell the stories they want (as long as it meets editorial standards)

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Small problem there though, did those purifiers act as the main characters in their own solo series? You say it's a bad writer thing but I don't see it that way, writers tell the stories they want (as long as it meets editorial standards)

Technically they did. Given the example I used was from X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills. A standalone graphic novel, of which the Purifiers were the main characters, equal in exposure to the X-Men themselves.

Some do tell the stories they want whatever that maybe, others can only tell one type of story. The latter simply aren't as good as the former.

[ScottyP]

Within IDWverse (ignoring AHM) the Decepticons aren't villains.

They didn't start that way and there are elements that still don't view Megatron's ideas in a violent way, like Soundwave and his faction.

Then there's stuff like Grindcore. MTOs made of faces. Bludgeon's approach to titan hunting - no titans? Blow up the natives. Shockwave's cold detachment as he wages proxy wars and seeds worlds just to see what happens, ignoring consequence. Phase six. Galvatron's ruthless execution of General Witwicky. Scorponok's plans in Monstrosity, or even Megatron's betrayal in Autocracy, or Overlord's killing sprees, or mouth flowers which reminds me that yeah, Grindcore, look that up.

The Decepticons are still portrayed as villains. Decepticonism is, like most actual ideologies, not inherently evil or violent. The story has developed over time in a meaningful way by exploring what kind of system could give rise to an ideology like that, what could go wrong with it, and yes, the moral ambiguity that might be necessary to combat it when it does go wrong.

There are layers upon layers upon layers and while it's occasionally tempting to want "good guys vs bad guys", that's not how the world operates most of the time and I don't want a fictional universe that wants to be taken seriously to be that way either. They've towed that line at times, but in most of these stories if things are whittled down to good/bad, righteous/wicked, just/unlawful, you wind up at Autobot/Decepticon. There are prominent examples to the contrary in Tyrest, Getaway, Star Saber, Pharma, and more, but internal Autobot villainy is a factor that gave rise to Decepticons in this continuity in the first place.

I could go on but I'm sure I probably lost my point 50 words ago.

[ZeroWolf]

That is an excellent post ScottyP, now excuse me while I remind myself what grind core is...oh...yeah...

@allnewsuperrobot about your last point, saying that one is better than the former is subjective, as there will be writers you could point to as examples and I could reply that I don't like their work and vice versa. Also I rather one type of story done really well to someone who can do many types but they are medicore at them all. I also take offence that someone isn't a good writer if they can only do one type of story.

[Galactic Prime]

Which brings up the reason reboots exist. What if the next upcoming IDW TF Writers don't want to write about Autobot Megatron, Metrotitans, Functionism, Autobot psychiatry, Colony worlds with oddly gender specific Transformers etc etc

What if they want to write about the Beast Wars? Or the rivalry between Fort Max and Scorponok? Exploring the potential of a symbiotic hive mind between Scourge and the Sweeps?

They can't do that in present IDW, let's also be clear about this: Indie books can continue a narrative for years, decades etc Licensed properties don't have that luxury.

Maybe this potential "End of Days" for IDWverse and the recent cancellation of future Bayformers isn't coincidental??

The IDWverse is still continuing though...they will all still be connected plus if writers wanted to write those stories they could pitch it to IDW who could put out a miniseries for that.

@Vaal I can understand your frustration.

Actually you have ZERO evidence that the IDWverse is continuing. Hasbro never said it was, they said the current one was coming to an end and they would re-visit what would happen at the end of the year.

That screams either IDW isn't keeping the license, which would be freaking awesome, as the entire time they've had it, it's been horrible, OR they are going to reboot it.

[Galactic Prime]

stuff like this makes me glad ive gone trade as ive absolutely NO idea how the hell im meant to collect it in terms of reading order.

why the hell is it become so hard to figure out how to follow an IDW event?

revolution baffled the hell out of me when i was still buying monthly and i STILL havent bought it in trade yet, let alone first strike

even their ordinary series when collected end up packaging an annual in with the numbered run so god knows how this is all going to be collected for the event proper.

i do like the idea of ROMS home world getting attacked as his crossover with the TF has been the most sucessful so far and given from how anytime ive seen him he's never bloody there we can have a genuine doubt as to whether itll survive or not. which is handy on the drama front. so it sounds good.

but ill wait till its collected so i dont end up getting something twice (like what im facing with vol 2 of Optimus Prime.)

on the vid further up the page i am somewhat baffled as to why james riaz had to go looking for work like that though. i mean jesus the art on the books has gone RIGHT down hill the last few years. . i thought IDW would be calling up everyone they ever employed to see who'll come back to the fold.

i mean is EJ Su Don Fig et al potentially laying aobut by the sidelines doing nothing cause no one in editorial thinks to ring them?

Kinda mad.

Yeeeeeeeeeeeah about that. Hate to break it to you but you’re never gonna see Don back on transformers probably ever and it’s not because IDW doesn’t call him. It’s becuase IDW won’t call him but because he’s not reliable and he refuses to. He doesn’t want to draw transformers anymore and IDW doesn’t need him walking out like he's done twice.

Don has seriously walked out on IDW not once but twice. Halfway through the beast wars second mini he said he was done and didn’t want to draw anymore transformers. He was tired of being only known for transformers so they had to have Guido Guidi finish the series. Jump a couple years later and the ongoing happened and Don was back with his over complex redesigns with monster faces because he really wasn’t that good and wasn’t doing anything else and once again halfway through a big story he walked away again and said he was done with transformers and they had to get Alex Milne to come on and finish the story.

Yeah, Don's also an asshat too. Not friendly, doesn't realize the only thing he can draw is Transformers.

[Galactic Prime]

"Female" character or not is irrelevant to me. It just brings up the old idea that Gender in Transformers only exists through the Fembots. I've never understood the need to sexualise Giant alien robots, but it exists now and can't be undone.

You are confusing Gender with Sex.

They are not the same thing. The Transformers have never been SEXUALIZED.

[ZeroWolf]

What would you call kiss players then?

[Flashwave]

What would you call kiss players then?

Mercifully, not a part of "IDW"

Also, "Wierd"

[AllNewSuperRobot]

"Female" character or not is irrelevant to me. It just brings up the old idea that Gender in Transformers only exists through the Fembots. I've never understood the need to sexualise Giant alien robots, but it exists now and can't be undone.

You are confusing Gender with Sex.

They are not the same thing. The Transformers have never been SEXUALIZED.

No, there's no confusion. I go by what I was taught through education, not the recent Newspeak of the last couple years. Of which I take no interest in the current fads and superficial hashtags of social media.

But I digress...


How is that Not sexualised????? Or the emphasis on the accentuation of hips, chest and lipstick of G1 Arcee?

[Flashwave]

"Female" character or not is irrelevant to me. It just brings up the old idea that Gender in Transformers only exists through the Fembots. I've never understood the need to sexualise Giant alien robots, but it exists now and can't be undone.

You are confusing Gender with Sex.

They are not the same thing. The Transformers have never been SEXUALIZED.

No, there's no confusion. I go by what I was taught through education, not the recent Newspeak of the last couple years. Of which I take no interest in the current fads and superficial hashtags of social media.

But I digress...


How is that Not sexualised????? Or the emphasis on the accentuation of hips, chest and lipstick of G1 Arcee?

Pretty sure they meant "In idw". There are plenty of examples in past TF media of sexualized design (go look up Cybertron Thunderblast...). The IDW fembot designs have not been nearly as guilty as other mediums. There are some, but then juxtapose them against the stocky Pyra Magna, or Aileron, and it balances out.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Blackarachnia was always a pretty bad example of that to be fair. Her base form in particular.

Well when it comes to IDW, I saw a visual cameo of Elita 1 (I think?) in Megatron: Origin and Spotlight Arcee. As stated I found neither of these sexualised in the way previous series have depicted Fembots. Especially Arcee, who became a never before favourite character following that Spotlight. Who would have thought making Arcee a crazed lunatic would be such a refreshing and interesting change.

As an aside, through the TF part work, I have seen Aileron and Windblade. Although completely out of context so I can't really comment on either.

[Va'al]

I feel like this equine has been overly thwacked around for long enough, shall we try getting back on topic?


The IDWverse may or may not have a reboot, which may or may not be hard or soft, and it may or may not have to do with the Unicron event due from May's comics onwards.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

I'm hoping for some reformatted Heralds. It is a thing that Unicron always has, in every continuity. Two out of three of the Original Trinity have been removed from the IDWverse and Cyclonus might as well be counted among them as well. So who could it be? Thunderwing? Star Saber? Or someone so far unused, such as BW Megatron, Rampage etc

[ZeroWolf]

Rampage would work nicely but with the beast mode he might be working with onyx prime. A revived monstructor would also work well. I think they should use this opportunity to create new characters and make a proper Unicron faction (call them the blendtrons if you want)

[Big Grim]

Excellent Stuff.

That was perfect in it's eloquence. Bravo!

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Rampage would work nicely but with the beast mode he might be working with onyx prime. A revived monstructor would also work well. I think they should use this opportunity to create new characters and make a proper Unicron faction (call them the blendtrons if you want)

Come to think about it, who has been jettisoned out into the void of space?

Overlord - Unicron would approve
Astrotrain - He has been in need of a dramatic redesign for years.
(Bits of) Galvatron - With a good design, not the terrible Grey Thing he was when he was killed.

A new Trinity, perhaps? Or go for someone weird like Violen Jiger or Tidal Wave (Armada)??

While I do think those reformatted by Unicron should bear a brand/symbol of him, I don't think they should be named. TF fiction doesn't have a great track record of naming conventions beyond the main two factions.. Breastforce, for example. I long ago conceived of one myself. Essentially a silhouette of his planet mode, mouth open.

A thought also occurred to me. The Matrix has been tied to Unicron in all fiction. IDWverse no longer has a working one, so maybe this is the caveat that ends this universe? I would love this to be the one scenario that means the "Good Guys always win" trope is shattered. Without The Matrix and/or getting inside him, A Planet Bot by scale comparison alone, is untouchable.

Even if they find the Knights of Cybertron & Metrotitans, 12 Metroplex' aren't really going to scratch Unicron either, even before he transforms.

[ZeroWolf]

Overlord is active again in the fiction, who knows what he's doing. Astrotrain I can't remember what happened to him properly but I think he was harvested by humans.
Galvatron could work, a resurrection into grand galvatron would be a fun reference.

Breastforce is a sub group, not a full on faction, just like targetmasters, combaticons etc.

We have had nine factions to my knowledge in all transformers fiction...autobots, decepticons, maximals, predacons, jihaxus's cybertronian empire, junkions, minicons, blendtrons and quintessons. I still think im forgetting a lot as well.

Also the thirteen primes are making themselves known in IDW so they'll have an impact (which reminds me...megatronus! The Fallen...in IDW) and I think in lieu of the matrix, I think we're going to see Unicron going toe to toe with Primus as all thirteen primes use Rungs alt mode to activate Primus (while I think Primus is the end player, I don't seriously think the the thirteen primes are going to use rung like that)

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Overlord is active again in the fiction, who knows what he's doing. Astrotrain I can't remember what happened to him properly but I think he was harvested by humans.
Galvatron could work, a resurrection into grand galvatron would be a fun reference.

Breastforce is a sub group, not a full on faction, just like targetmasters, combaticons etc.

We have had nine factions to my knowledge in all transformers fiction...autobots, decepticons, maximals, predacons, jihaxus's cybertronian empire, junkions, minicons, blendtrons and quintessons. I still think im forgetting a lot as well.

Also the thirteen primes are making themselves known in IDW so they'll have an impact (which reminds me...megatronus! The Fallen...in IDW) and I think in lieu of the matrix, I think we're going to see Unicron going toe to toe with Primus as all thirteen primes use Rungs alt mode to activate Primus (while I think Primus is the end player, I don't seriously think the the thirteen primes are going to use rung like that)

When I mentioned Two Main factions, that was relative to their series IE Maximal & Predacon were the Autobots and Decepticons of their story.
G2, I only hear people speak of in passing, akin to Dragonball GT. So I know next to nothing about it.
Quintessons I wouldn't really class as a (Transformer) faction. No symbol, their exclusive use of Sharkticons (and the others, perhaps unnamed?) has been glossed over in recent years. I always thought them as another alien race within TF Lore.
Likewise the Junkions are more connected to Autobots in lore than not. Also no Symbol or any real goals/direction/motivations. The other names, as previously mentioned.. not great to bad.

Primus has already been mentioned within the IDWverse, but more as a physical being than previously. Galvatron made reference to him being a conqueror. Plus I don't Cybertron is Primus in IDW. The planet was dead until CHAOS and now is a largely organic..thing. So if Primus does have some presence here (hopefully not as a Metrotitan Gestalt) I see him being on scale with The Last Autobot. Which would still not be a threat to a Planet Bot.