The Energon Pub

Why aren't people discussing Spotlight Arcee??

It was relevant, it was controversial, it was good (no matter how you feel about the subject matter).

Could no one get a copy of it?

Lol...we WERE talking about it.

So will it be the Combaticons (who somehow gain Swindle) or the Technobots that will appear as the next "gestalt" team?

I expect to see more of Jhiaxus now, especially since we know Arcee is on the hunt. perhaps she is the reason for introducing the next wave of Spotlights, her finding other "experiments".

Someone on another board brought up a good thought; did the Decepticons steal any other sparks? Personally I doubt they did, but if they did, the Pretenders would be a great group to steal, to create the Pretenders, mark II, having them stay Autobots would tie into it all very nicely.

Prime need not waste his time heading to Garrus 9, considering the assault is over, and there is now nothing he nor his team can do.

i_amtrunks wrote:Someone on another board brought up a good thought; did the Decepticons steal any other sparks? Personally I doubt they did, but if they did, the Pretenders would be a great group to steal, to create the Pretenders, mark II, having them stay Autobots would tie into it all very nicely.

Funny that you mention it, I was thinking that Jetfire could fix Bludgeon by treating him. Then afterwards they can devise a way to stabilize the pretender process with the methods they have learned from treatment.

My other lingering question, which I thought of again while reading Arcee's spotlight, is what Ultra Magnus has been up to. There've been four appearances of him, in one way, shape, or form, in the IDW books (that I can think of or am aware of).

1) His spotlight, which took place 29 years prior to current events, and detailed his last run-in with Scorponok.

2) Arcee's spotlight, which saw him capture her presumably a good chunk of time before we see Garrus 9 (the caption box says that it's MUCH later).

3) The first video communication with Optimus on Earth, where he says that Swindle's been up to his old tricks again, and that he's bringing him in (also ties in with the end of Magnus' spotlight).

4) The second video communication with Optimus on Earth, where he says that he has a new lead on Scorponok.

I'm wondering if Magnus will get to Earth eventually as he tracks down Scorponok. All the more so since the two big adventures we've seen of Magnus have taken place long in the past...I'm wondering if Furman's got some big story arc for Magnus in the present coming up.

I wonder if Ultra Magnus will be part of "All Hail Megatron" if he does get to Earth. It would put him in contact with Headmaster Sunstreaker if Scorponok is indeed behind the Machination and I personally think Hunter's Mosaic mentions the events of "All Hail Megatron" with he and the Dinobots

i_amtrunks wrote:I expect to see more of Jhiaxus now, especially since we know Arcee is on the hunt. perhaps she is the reason for introducing the next wave of Spotlights, her finding other "experiments".

I'm curious to know WHEN Arcee was captured, as if this was somewhat recently during Optimus Prime's era (I'm guessing by the Way Magnus hasn't changed his appearance nor is Magnus old skool enough to be around at the time of Nova Prime) then it means that J'hiaxus is at large in the Universe somewhere where as Nova Prime and Galvatron don't seem to venture out of the dead universe much.

He mentioned something about a Nega-Core which made me wonder if this ties into Thunderwing and somehow using his pretender technology to augment the Monstructor components (what are they called without shells??? just Monsters??)

The other thing that i might be reading too much into was the use of the term autobot to Arcee and Magnus as though to seperate themselves from that "faction"

The more and more i see and hear of J'hiaxus, the more and more he is striking out in the same mannor that Shockwave did in DW. If the dead universe's plans hinge on Ore-13, then they owe thanks to Shockwave which could lead to an unholy alliance there.

I am really keen to see a multi faction war emerge from this like with the two factions of decepticons in Marvel's heyday, except this time on a grander scale.

Autobots

Dead Universe

Decepticons - Megatron

Decepticons Cult - Bludgeon etc

Decepticons - Banzai Tron

Reapers

Machination

Skywatch (who I don't rate to last long)

More factions leads to a lot more options and potential conflict

Doctor Reggae wrote:
4) The second video communication with Optimus on Earth, where he says that he has a new lead on Scorponok.

I'm wondering if Magnus will get to Earth eventually as he tracks down Scorponok. All the more so since the two big adventures we've seen of Magnus have taken place long in the past...I'm wondering if Furman's got some big story arc for Magnus in the present coming up.

Furman has said that There are plans for a new version of the Magnus/Galvatron fight ala Target:2006, but that it won't be exactly the same as previously seen battles. To me that means that Magnus will get to Earth about at the same time as Hound's unit and they'll have their hands full with a Decepticon controlled Earth until Prime gets back from chasing after the Pretender Monsters.

I have to say I wasn't happy with the IDW TF's at first but I was wrong. The detail that Furman put into these books are amazing. I want to see more of the Pretenders in future issues. Is All Hail Megatron a oneshot or a mini series?

Lord Unicron wrote:I have to say I wasn't happy with the IDW TF's at first but I was wrong. The detail that Furman put into these books are amazing. I want to see more of the Pretenders in future issues. Is All Hail Megatron a oneshot or a mini series?

That's a good question. But now that Ryall's mentioned that it'll be in-continuity, I'm wondering that myself.

Doctor Reggae wrote: That's a good question. But now that Ryall's mentioned that it'll be in-continuity, I'm wondering that myself.

Well I saw it referred to as a series somewhere. So I'm not sure. Is it coming out in April? Cause Devastion ends in March and I don't see anything coming out in May except movie stuff.

I think all hail is a mini series, I'd be willing to wager that it is a 4 part miniseries, and will be a summer event, ala Stormbringer.

Are we sure that the Monster Pretenders are actually Pretenders in this continuity? They dont have shells when they are shown individually and this continuity makes it seem like Pretenders were the rogue creation of Bludgeon which of course is a very long time after Jhiaxus created Gestalt technology.

Speaking of Jhaixus it seems as though he is the Dr. Mengele of the IDWverse.

Looking at them, I can't see any evidence of Pretender shells. They just look like they have their inner robot forms.

MYoung23 wrote:Are we sure that the Monster Pretenders are actually Pretenders in this continuity? They dont have shells when they are shown individually and this continuity makes it seem like Pretenders were the rogue creation of Bludgeon which of course is a very long time after Jhiaxus created Gestalt technology.

Speaking of Jhaixus it seems as though he is the Dr. Mengele of the IDWverse.

You're right--Pretender technology probably wasn't around when Jhiaxus made the Monstructor components--and since I'm assuming that they broke out of their dimensional prison AFTER Thunderwing's rampage, they wouldn't have had access to it.

Good analogy between Jhiaxus and Dr. Mengele, by the way. Furman's given the Dead Universe crew a feeling of menace that I don't think previous incarnations of TF's ever were able to get across. Makes me wonder too if there are other creations of Jhiaxus (like Arcee) running around out there.

MYoung23 wrote:Are we sure that the Monster Pretenders are actually Pretenders in this continuity? They dont have shells when they are shown individually and this continuity makes it seem like Pretenders were the rogue creation of Bludgeon which of course is a very long time after Jhiaxus created Gestalt technology.

Speaking of Jhaixus it seems as though he is the Dr. Mengele of the IDWverse.

True but when Bludgeon gets out (and think someone will break him out) he will take the Monstructor components and turn them into Pretenders.

As for All Hail Megatron being a mini series thats probably true. Filling the gap between Devastation and the next series. Could be where Sunstreaker fights Scorponok and teams up with the Dinobots.

MYoung23 wrote:Are we sure that the Monster Pretenders are actually Pretenders in this continuity? They dont have shells when they are shown individually and this continuity makes it seem like Pretenders were the rogue creation of Bludgeon which of course is a very long time after Jhiaxus created Gestalt technology.

Speaking of Jhaixus it seems as though he is the Dr. Mengele of the IDWverse.

You're right--Pretender technology probably wasn't around when Jhiaxus made the Monstructor components--and since I'm assuming that they broke out of their dimensional prison AFTER Thunderwing's rampage, they wouldn't have had access to it.

Good analogy between Jhiaxus and Dr. Mengele, by the way. Furman's given the Dead Universe crew a feeling of menace that I don't think previous incarnations of TF's ever were able to get across. Makes me wonder too if there are other creations of Jhiaxus (like Arcee) running around out there.

Lol...darn double-post...

Leonardo wrote:Looking at them, I can't see any evidence of Pretender shells. They just look like they have their inner robot forms.

Since we know from IDW that the Pretender process tends to super power and super crazy its subjects (Thunderwing, Bludgeon) perhaps the Monstructor team will be subjected to it in order to hopefully create an unstoppable engine of destruction. If the gestalt technology is unstable and wildly powerful as we saw in the Prime Spotlight, and Stormbringer showed how unpredictable yet devastating the Pretender process can be, then a Pretender gestalt would be the pinnacle of devastating and unrelenting brute force....

Dagon wrote:

Leonardo wrote:Looking at them, I can't see any evidence of Pretender shells. They just look like they have their inner robot forms.

Since we know from IDW that the Pretender process tends to super power and super crazy its subjects (Thunderwing, Bludgeon) perhaps the Monstructor team will be subjected to it in order to hopefully create an unstoppable engine of destruction. If the gestalt technology is unstable and wildly powerful as we saw in the Prime Spotlight, and Stormbringer showed how unpredictable yet devastating the Pretender process can be, then a Pretender gestalt would be the pinnacle of devastating and unrelenting brute force....

And highly uncontrollable.

That seems to be another theme of Jhiaxus's work (alongside the strong and the crazy). Seems we will be seeing Jhiaxus in the "flesh" in Devastation #6, wonder if its due to interest in Galvatron, the Reapers, or even the Headmaster tech ol' Scorpy has been whipping up.

i_amtrunks wrote:

Dagon wrote:

Leonardo wrote:Looking at them, I can't see any evidence of Pretender shells. They just look like they have their inner robot forms.

Since we know from IDW that the Pretender process tends to super power and super crazy its subjects (Thunderwing, Bludgeon) perhaps the Monstructor team will be subjected to it in order to hopefully create an unstoppable engine of destruction. If the gestalt technology is unstable and wildly powerful as we saw in the Prime Spotlight, and Stormbringer showed how unpredictable yet devastating the Pretender process can be, then a Pretender gestalt would be the pinnacle of devastating and unrelenting brute force....

And highly uncontrollable.

But think of the devastation they could cause!

Lord Unicron wrote:

i_amtrunks wrote:

Dagon wrote:

Since we know from IDW that the Pretender process tends to super power and super crazy its subjects (Thunderwing, Bludgeon) perhaps the Monstructor team will be subjected to it in order to hopefully create an unstoppable engine of destruction. If the gestalt technology is unstable and wildly powerful as we saw in the Prime Spotlight, and Stormbringer showed how unpredictable yet devastating the Pretender process can be, then a Pretender gestalt would be the pinnacle of devastating and unrelenting brute force....

And highly uncontrollable.

But think of the devastation they could cause!

Hells yeah. And if the old Pretender rules still apply from G1, then not only would you get six individual robots and a gestalt form of them, but you would also have their six shell units to mix things up. So in addition to the force and brutality you get the numbers also....

But, that's an if. Since Thunderwing and Bludgeon are the only IDW Pretenders we've seen thus far, and neither one has seperated from their shells, we don't know if that old convention still applies or if the shell is just a shell.

Thats true. But I don't think either of them ever seperated from their shells in the Marvel run either.

Lord Unicron wrote:Thats true. But I don't think either of them ever seperated from their shells in the Marvel run either.

Some of them did on occasion. Grimlock, Jazz, and Bumblebee all featured shell separation the most, as did Starscream, for the brief time he was a Pretender as well. I think they had Bludgeon separate from his shell once, and maybe Thunderwing did too, but that was about it. Probably easier back then in terms of art and storytelling to not have the shells running around independently.c

Yeah the Classic Pretenders only used their shells when they first appeared and during the Matrix quest. After that I don't recall seeing them. The Pretender Beast opened up when they were shown. I can't recall Thunderwing at all out of his shell. Bludgeon did in "Primal Scream" but I think that was the only one.