The Energon Pub

One issue, perhaps the main issue, is that the outcome is certain and that there's no possible surprise to what is going to occur: Optimus Prime's Autobots will enter into a civil war with Megatron's Decepticons.

The wind up, the build up to this is drawn out as if there's a possibility it might go some other way.

It won't.

If you're telling a story about a certain outcome, like Anakin's fall to become Darth Vader, then the action needs to be amazing OR...

the stories about the small people caught up in this event needs to be compelling. It isn't.

Why did the most awful things or the most incredible teams get formed? How did Monsterbots come about in light of this? What caused bots to be so desperate to become Powermasters or Nucleon addicted?

How does a regular bot get radicalized into a Decepticon?

No one knows, especially this continuity.

Well damn. Looks like last issue was an anomaly. Shame.

~ Grim

Counterpunch wrote:Why did the most awful things or the most incredible teams get formed? How did Monsterbots come about in light of this? What caused bots to be so desperate to become Powermasters or Nucleon addicted?

How does a regular bot get radicalized into a Decepticon?

No one knows, especially this continuity.

First, excellent post. Second, for this particular quoted part, this is one reason why using the Rainmakers to kill off Sentinel rather than the classic/standard Seeker trio was a weird move. A great opportunity to make them known, and make Starscream more legit than whatever the hell he is in 26, but nah let's use the Rainmakers because, uh, one of them is invincible now or something.

We only got issue 26 of the current Transformers ongoing less than two weeks ago, but we're being graced with the next issue a week from this Wednesday. Continuing on the "War World" arc, this issue sees Slipstream and her team continuing their attack on the Winged Moon. Check out the summary and pages below!

Cybertron’s winged moon, untethered from the planet and adrift in space, is in peril – from its slow descent towards the solar system’s star to new visitors who have their own plans for what to do with the moon. 

This issue is scheduled to be released on January 20th. Are any of you fellow Seibertronians picking this issue up? Let us know what you think below!

"Of course it's a word, Hyperdrive. I couldn't say it if it wasn't a word, could I?"-Flamewar. Now THAT is a great line...

Has a certain someone been taking English lessons from Rumble?

The art looks fantastic in this issue.

Greetings Seibertronians! Issue #27 of the ongoing IDW Transformers comic is out this week, so you know what that means! It's preview time!

IDW wrote:Transformers #27
Brian Ruckley (w) • Anna Malkova (a) • Livio Ramondelli (c)
“War World: Moon”. Cybertron’s winged moon, untethered from the planet and adrift in space, is in peril—from its slow descent towards the solar system’s star to new visitors who have their own plans for what to do with the moon. Can the remaining scientists and engineers hold their own until back-up arrives from Cybertron?

FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Will you be getting this issue? Let us know in the Energon Pub and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews!

Greetings Seibertronians! PreviewsWorld have uploaded a five page preview of the upcoming IDW Transformers #29, which we're pleased to share with you now!

PreviewsWorld wrote:(W) Brian Ruckley (A/CA) Anna Malkova
"War World: Titans"! Sentinel Prime has a secret-something that could change the fate of Cybertron-something that Megatron wants. It's a battle for control of the Forge as the Autobots and the Decepticons come face-to-face in battle for the first time!

Don't forget you can get comics like this from the Seibertron Store! Either the latest releases or back issues if that's what you're after!

What do you think of the plot being teased here?

Shout out in the Energon Pub and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews!

I got away from this book after issue 12 or so. Has it gotten any better? Are the TPBs worth getting? I do like the art.

The art does look nice. The panel composition is dreadful though. Where is the focal point? The dynamism of the scene?? There is nothing to draw your eye. Even the full body, yet rigid, close-up of Ironhide - which should be the central focus of the panel - is almost completely occluded by speech bubbles?

Transformers #30 was released one week ago Wednesday digitally and the week before that, it was available in its printed monthly floppy form in local comic shops. As part of our review catch up here at Seibertron, we'll get into looking at whether or not it's any good.

I've got to start with a disclaimer that may save some readers time on this review, by freely and openly admitting that this series has lost me, with my last care evaporating about four issues ago. It's going to be a monumental task for it to overcome my ennui at this point, so keep that starting state in mind during this review. Of course, if you've been enjoying the series thus far, then you're safe to ignore this review - issue #30 is more of the same.


One of the major problems in the series is a lack of maintained focus on, well, anything. In Transformers #29, Optimus Prime tells Perceptor they're not done talking about how Perceptor aided and abetted previous Primes' decisions about how to handle Titansparks. Instead of following up on that particular point, made memorable by its placement at the end of that issue, Perceptor does not appear. Instead it's time for yet another narrative thread among the already dozen of them in the series, this time with the Torchbearers.


Yes, the already over-booked cast gets even busier, with Pyra Magna joining the fray properly along with her "companions" as they're called at one point. This initially ends up being an invitation to lay down a few of Transformers (2019)'s greatest hits: Optimus Prime and Megatron arguing about an entirely pointless conflict, Optimus Prime and Megatron sucking the life out of everything on the page, and Optimus Prime and Megatron using a great deal of words to say nearly nothing at all. At this point, charisma parasites would be welcome over these two charisma vacuums.


Not everything is terrible, as the action scene in the middle of the issue (roughly speaking) is very well done and saved this from being a complete waste of time. Sunstreaker gets to look cool but gets upstaged by Windcharger being amazing. Sure, they ultimately just lay the smackdown on a couple of red-shirt seekers, but it was fun to witness them do so and it provided a timeless quip where Sunstreaker reminds everyone that Nacelle just plain doesn't matter. Whatever mojo was flowing for this part? More of that, please.


I can't fault Anna Malkova's art as some of my least favorite panels have everything to do with my dislike of the characters (or specific version of, in the above case) within and nothing to do with the actual quality or appropriateness. If I had to make one quibble, it'd be to stop drawing so many scenes on stairs. Add a roadway, flip them to alt mode, have them talk as cars - something like that. David Garcia Cruz handles the colors on this one and everything works pretty well, though Megatron would probably go for a more purple hologram than the pink present here. Jake M. Wood, our now-usual letterer, is back again and while mostly just fine, there's a page with a flashback to a space battle where the second through sixth bubbles feel like they belong on the left side of the page based on art and flow of the dialogue thereafter, but they're on the right. Based on their indentation, this could have been an actual mistake in production, but it's hard to tell.

Stefano Simeone provides the "A" cover which looks like it belongs to issue 29 based on its content, so this review's news story thumbnail image features Priscilla Tramontano's "B" cover since it depicts characters from the issue in a manner somewhat related to how they appear. A ten-copy retailer incentive cover by Blacky Shepherd and Sid Van Blu is also available on a limited basis from your local shop. As always, you can find all the cover images and full credits for the issue through our Vector Sigma Database page for Transformers #30.


Transformers #30 is another poor issue of what's become a stale comic series, which is saved from being a total disaster by one scene. In many ways it epitomizes the series itself, jumping from plot to plot, catching up with previously introduced characters before immediately introducing anywhere from 2-8 more of them all while putting you to sleep with pretentious dialogue. There's a small, anti-climactic payoff to some of Cyclonus' story in this issue which leaves him saying "What do I do now?" That short phrase and all its hopelessness is an appropriate symbol of how I felt after reading another issue of this slog of a series. I hope you enjoy it more than I did.



This issue is out now, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.

Hey Siebertron? Can we get someone who actually gives a crap about this comic to review it, please? Or at least try and present a counterpoint? For one of the two biggest news sites to be peddling this bored snark, featuring the same lame old cliches about "Stairs and talking ZZZZZZZZZZZZ" is just not doing the work of these two excellent creators justice. I mean, being told "if you enjoy this series stop reading" is no excuse for what's become a regular dose of sour invective. I enjoy a witty takedown of something horrible as much as the next 'Bot but there's none of that energy here, just words floating aloft on bored sighs.

I ask you, seriously: what is anyone's reason to keep reading these? If the reviewer admits they can't give a ****, what's the point of them putting any further words down or us continuing to read them? Let them go do something they enjoy, stop torturing your readers, and stop disrespectng the very hard work these creators are putting into this excellent (imo) book.

I must be the minority that is actually enjoying the build up of this universe. Sure it has been a little slow on some pages but its been amazing watching this universe building story take place. For me this is how it should have always been. When IDW first started transformers with the -ition series, that was great too. The war wasn't huge yet and we got some cool little moments while in space somewhere, something big was happening or at best, there was a lull in the conflict.

Here we have the political, the religious, the science, and social aspects of a society that was always either touched upon in flash backs in previous incarnations and it always seemed so all over the place fitting to what was currently going on in the story. This we are getting most of it right now and again building towards the great war we have all come and love in our transformers lure.

For me I feel the art has gotten better and since issue 25, it has really taken off for me. My only complaint thus far would be we still didn't see the true relationship between Orion and Megatron even though they gave us a nice little bit. This is a story that can go on for years just before they board the ark and crash on Earth. I'm enjoying this! It's amazing and issue 30 was pretty solid to me. The mass exodus of the autobots out of Iacon...I mean whoa. Seems very reminiscent of Moses leading the Hebrews into the wilderness.

Is it perfect, absolutely not, but for me, it's pretty darn good. Then the little side stories to show the more personal aspect of who and where are being felt by this genesis of the great war.

Toizarus wrote:Hey Siebertron? Can we get someone who actually gives a crap about this comic to review it, please? Or at least try and present a counterpoint? For one of the two biggest news sites to be peddling this bored snark, featuring the same lame old cliches about "Stairs and talking ZZZZZZZZZZZZ" is just not doing the work of these two excellent creators justice. I mean, being told "if you enjoy this series stop reading" is no excuse for what's become a regular dose of sour invective. I enjoy a witty takedown of something horrible as much as the next 'Bot but there's none of that energy here, just words floating aloft on bored sighs.

I ask you, seriously: what is anyone's reason to keep reading these? If the reviewer admits they can't give a ****, what's the point of them putting any further words down or us continuing to read them? Let them go do something they enjoy, stop torturing your readers, and stop disrespectng the very hard work these creators are putting into this excellent (imo) book.

100% agreed. The reviews are joke

Randomhero wrote:

Toizarus wrote:Hey Siebertron? Can we get someone who actually gives a crap about this comic to review it, please? Or at least try and present a counterpoint? For one of the two biggest news sites to be peddling this bored snark, featuring the same lame old cliches about "Stairs and talking ZZZZZZZZZZZZ" is just not doing the work of these two excellent creators justice. I mean, being told "if you enjoy this series stop reading" is no excuse for what's become a regular dose of sour invective. I enjoy a witty takedown of something horrible as much as the next 'Bot but there's none of that energy here, just words floating aloft on bored sighs.

I ask you, seriously: what is anyone's reason to keep reading these? If the reviewer admits they can't give a ****, what's the point of them putting any further words down or us continuing to read them? Let them go do something they enjoy, stop torturing your readers, and stop disrespectng the very hard work these creators are putting into this excellent (imo) book.

100% agreed. The reviews are joke

then one of you volunteer, by all means. As of 7 months ago (?) everyone single staff member had grown bored with the ongoing, and at that point there were only 3 people still reading it on staff anyway, and it was to keep up, not out of any enjoyment.

so no one on staff likes it. Volunteer and be that voice, talk about why you love it. Because the 2 of you seem to be the only voices of that kind here

Toizarus wrote:Hey Siebertron? Can we get someone who actually gives a crap about this comic to review it, please? Or at least try and present a counterpoint? For one of the two biggest news sites to be peddling this bored snark, featuring the same lame old cliches about "Stairs and talking ZZZZZZZZZZZZ" is just not doing the work of these two excellent creators justice. I mean, being told "if you enjoy this series stop reading" is no excuse for what's become a regular dose of sour invective. I enjoy a witty takedown of something horrible as much as the next 'Bot but there's none of that energy here, just words floating aloft on bored sighs.

I ask you, seriously: what is anyone's reason to keep reading these? If the reviewer admits they can't give a ****, what's the point of them putting any further words down or us continuing to read them? Let them go do something they enjoy, stop torturing your readers, and stop disrespectng the very hard work these creators are putting into this excellent (imo) book.

You must have not read the part where I said: (edit: nope, chose to ignore it I see. Your loss.)

Of course, if you've been enjoying the series thus far, then you're safe to ignore this review - issue #30 is more of the same.

The other option was for there to be no review of the book. There hadn't been for several issues because there was nothing nice to say. Guess that was the correct decision.

ScottyP wrote:

Yep, it's IDW's Transformers 2.0. I can tell by the stairs and the talking.

lol, they just won't quit it

Honestly, I'm enjoying the slow build up as well. It feels like building the world we're about to have our favorite robots smack down in. However, I do say this now that I can genuinely see some sort of direction that the series is taking. Honestly, I feel if it weren't so freaking slow at the beginning, these later issues would be taken with more (or at least some) enthusiasm.

And I agree. If I may offer a suggestion, instead of a full on counterpoint, ask the community for some positive feedback to balance out the boredom the staff feels for the book. Make guidelines so that the feedback is genuine and not just "it's great coz I said so". Add one or two of these comments to the end of the review, then encourage the community to voice their opinions at the end of the review. I feel this may provide some more positive and/or constructive conversation so that those that enjoy the books can feel that they're not wrong for having this opinion, without the staff feeling like they have to be forced to like something they genuinely don't.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

Randomhero wrote:

Toizarus wrote:Hey Siebertron? Can we get someone who actually gives a crap about this comic to review it, please? Or at least try and present a counterpoint? For one of the two biggest news sites to be peddling this bored snark, featuring the same lame old cliches about "Stairs and talking ZZZZZZZZZZZZ" is just not doing the work of these two excellent creators justice. I mean, being told "if you enjoy this series stop reading" is no excuse for what's become a regular dose of sour invective. I enjoy a witty takedown of something horrible as much as the next 'Bot but there's none of that energy here, just words floating aloft on bored sighs.

I ask you, seriously: what is anyone's reason to keep reading these? If the reviewer admits they can't give a ****, what's the point of them putting any further words down or us continuing to read them? Let them go do something they enjoy, stop torturing your readers, and stop disrespectng the very hard work these creators are putting into this excellent (imo) book.

100% agreed. The reviews are joke

then one of you volunteer, by all means. As of 7 months ago (?) everyone single staff member had grown bored with the ongoing, and at that point there were only 3 people still reading it on staff anyway, and it was to keep up, not out of any enjoyment.

so no one on staff likes it. Volunteer and be that voice, talk about why you love it. Because the 2 of you seem to be the only voices of that kind here

Then just stop doing reviews. If all you guys are doing if making it for views and feel like it’s a chore then what’s the point? Predictions for the next 6 months: didn’t like it. Well…then again Milne is doing the annual so I imagine that review will be “the arts great and reminds me of when I used to review MTMTE blindly and only gave that a positive review because it had jame Roberts name on it and I was inclined to give it a positive review because I refuse to believe James Robert can’t write a good comic so this reminded me of that so 2 out of 4” . It’s not like you guys are on the ball with them. The comic came out over a week ago but it’s nothing new for seibertron.com to be a week behind on anything anymore.

There is a far better alternative here. If anyone reading this feels passionate and dedicated enough to this series to write a review, you can contact Scotty P though a private message and organize yourselves to write the next review. One of the best perks is you get to read these issues you are looking forward to ahead of time (assuming IDW sends it to us ahead of time, that didnt happen last week).

All I ask of reviews is that they are the honest opinion of the reviewer. These seem pretty honest to me. I also don't understand why you'd want someone who's enjoying them to review it, as that's replacing one bias with another. Have some one who's familiar with the source material review by all means but wanting someone to review it, who you'll know will like, just because you like it, feels very artifical to me.

Also complaining about us reviewing a comic we liked positively, just because we’re reviewing a comic you like negatively is hypocritical

ZeroWolf wrote:All I ask of reviews is that they are the honest opinion of the reviewer. These seem pretty honest to me. I also don't understand why you'd want someone who's enjoying them to review it, as that's replacing one bias with another. Have some one who's familiar with the source material review by all means but wanting someone to review it, who you'll know will like, just because you like it, feels very artifical to me.

Also complaining about us reviewing a comic we liked positively, just because we’re reviewing a comic you like negatively is hypocritical

So much this. Reminds me of video game reviews where people on reddit immediately dismiss any review which doesn't agree with their own opinion. Like the classic "You can't spell ignorant without IGN." But then a month later when that same IGN positively reviews a game that person likes, they are a trusted and great reviewer!

If people are enjoying this book then more power to them. We all like different things. But for me personally it's one of the worst TF comics I have ever read in my life. I still buy the issues but I stopped reading a few months ago. That almost never happens with me and comics.

Bleak5170 wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:All I ask of reviews is that they are the honest opinion of the reviewer. These seem pretty honest to me. I also don't understand why you'd want someone who's enjoying them to review it, as that's replacing one bias with another. Have some one who's familiar with the source material review by all means but wanting someone to review it, who you'll know will like, just because you like it, feels very artifical to me.

Also complaining about us reviewing a comic we liked positively, just because we’re reviewing a comic you like negatively is hypocritical

So much this. Reminds me of video game reviews where people on reddit immediately dismiss any review which doesn't agree with their own opinion. Like the classic "You can't spell ignorant without IGN." But then a month later when that same IGN positively reviews a game that person likes, they are a trusted and great reviewer!

If people are enjoying this book then more power to them. We all like different things. But for me personally it's one of the worst TF comics I have ever read in my life. I still buy the issues but I stopped reading a few months ago. That almost never happens with me and comics.

I'll be honest here since I was in the review - the folks trashing my review of TF 30 have a good point. It's really tough to be objective about a book when my starting point is "oh jeez, this again."

But it was nice to wake up to a bit of defense, so thanks for that

Cheers mate. Even if you loved the book I would still defend what you wrote in regards to bias as it was spot-on.