The Energon Pub

Kranix-76 wrote:It's good to see Bumblebee getting back in the action...

I admit, I was a bit confused when the trio of Hot Rod, Nightbeat, and Hardhead came into the main story arc (instead of the usual G1 cast), but it seems like Furman is wasting no time in demonstrating why those characters were chosen: Hot Rod's brash, youthful arrogance towards the end of Escalation, and now Nightbeat's sleuthing kicking-off the start of Devastation. Still unsure of Hardhead...either the "headmaster" thing draws him in, or he's there so an Autobot that can serve as fodder. Grim, but if it means Wheeljack or Jazz can get a bit more character development in...

As for criticisms comparing the IDW approach to the Dreamwave: I'm sorry if it offends you, but Pat Lee was an awful artist for the series, and it wasn't a shining moment for writing, either--admittedly, it was mostly service for G1 fans. I appreciate that with the new IDW books, they're trying to reboot the story while staying true to the original characters' personalities and the main premise of "robots in disguise." The designs of the robots--more technological detail, more "exposed" vehicle bits and pieces--reflect a solid attempt at remaining faithful to the original designs, but simultaneously treating them with a greater sense of realism. The presence of humans, in addition to giving new readers an "anchor" to the experience, also adds a unique element to the new story: it is as much an "alien" experience to the Autobots as it is to the humans, as seen in various little moments in the twelve issues so far. In an odd sort of way, the IDW series seems to reflect a sort-of "maturation" of the Transformers saga as a whole, despite some bumps in the road here-and-there.

That is, of course, unless the whole Unicron-Primus mythos comes back again. Oy...

I dunno, I just feel that the IDW stuff is just too slow paced for me. DW dragged a little here and there too, but again, I just preferred them overall when it comes to the mainstream G1 series. One of the things that I can't stand in the IDW series are all those darn holographic human projections the bots have. Why do we need to see them as humans? It s a book about robots! It's like making Cylons look like humans in Battlestar Galactica.... oh wait they did that, and I'm not a fan of it either.

I like what IDW has done with everything else though and I can't wait for the next BW series, Megatron Origin, and the upcoming spotlights!

trent hughes wrote:

Kranix-76 wrote: That is, of course, unless the whole Unicron-Primus mythos comes back again. Oy...

you...you just had to go and jinx it, didn't you?

I wouldn't mind seeing Unicron and Primus battle it out. Don't know when it happened in the UK continuity, and I think that's the only time they ever actually fought, and that was a mental battle. I want a physical fight! Cybertron, transform and kick butt!!!!

And if it's an epic battle, it'll be fun. But it would only work once, so maybe they should just get it over with in the arc after Devastation. Maybe.

I'm more excited about Devastation today than I was yesterday, cause I re-read Escalation in one-sitting. Man, that really was a cool arc .

So many sub-plots and questions left to answer. Why was what looked like Big Convoy confronting Prime in transitional infraspace? Who is the Transformer behind the Machination's knowledge of other Transformers?(could it be the Decep who is supposed to get destroyed in the Avengers/TF Crossover? BTW, is that out July 5th or so?). Who besides Sixshot will Megatron bring in? What will Skywatch(the Government, I assume) do with the Dinobots, and Soundwave, who they probably have(don't have any Spotlights yet).

And finally, to comment on DW, I loved DW G1. But I can't really say it's better than IDW because IDW is still going on, and DW ended abruptly. But DW did introduce a lot more classic characters, and even gave a couple, Bumper and Sunstorm, an actual meaningful apperance. They also had a bunch of great Easter Eggs every issue, and the story was a bit more in line with what was standard. IDW very well could grow and become the best Transformer material ever, given time.

Duke of Luns wrote:

trent hughes wrote:

Kranix-76 wrote: That is, of course, unless the whole Unicron-Primus mythos comes back again. Oy...

you...you just had to go and jinx it, didn't you?

I wouldn't mind seeing Unicron and Primus battle it out. Don't know when it happened in the UK continuity, and I think that's the only time they ever actually fought, and that was a mental battle. I want a physical fight! Cybertron, transform and kick butt!!!!

And if it's an epic battle, it'll be fun. But it would only work once, so maybe they should just get it over with in the arc after Devastation. Maybe.

I'm more excited about Devastation today than I was yesterday, cause I re-read Escalation in one-sitting. Man, that really was a cool arc .

So many sub-plots and questions left to answer. Why was what looked like Big Convoy confronting Prime in transitional infraspace? Who is the Transformer behind the Machination's knowledge of other Transformers?(could it be the Decep who is supposed to get destroyed in the Avengers/TF Crossover? BTW, is that out July 5th or so?). Who besides Sixshot will Megatron bring in? What will Skywatch(the Government, I assume) do with the Dinobots, and Soundwave, who they probably have(don't have any Spotlights yet).

And finally, to comment on DW, I loved DW G1. But I can't really say it's better than IDW because IDW is still going on, and DW ended abruptly. But DW did introduce a lot more classic characters, and even gave a couple, Bumper and Sunstorm, an actual meaningful apperance. They also had a bunch of great Easter Eggs every issue, and the story was a bit more in line with what was standard. IDW very well could grow and become the best Transformer material ever, given time.

Yeah, i loved the easter eggs in the DW stuff, They just rocked the whole series. The only reason DW dosen't exist anymore is cause that Pat Lee F**K got greedy, and did'nt pay his people. If someone else was in charge, DW would still reign Omega Supreme in the G1 TF comics. IDW was so insistant about starting all over and doing somthing completely different from DW, that it makes me think they are so full of pride they can't admit to how awesome DW's stuff was, therefore crippling any sort of evolution. I thought Infiltration was going to lead into somthing better, but it all seems to stay the same pace, with no advancements in artwork. It really bores the S**T out of me. But, no offense to anyone who likes it really, that's just my superior opinion......(joking on that part of course )

Roboto750 wrote:One of the things that I can't stand in the IDW series are all those darn holographic human projections the bots have. Why do we need to see them as humans? It s a book about robots! It's like making Cylons look like humans in Battlestar Galactica.... oh wait they did that, and I'm not a fan of it either.

I like what IDW has done with everything else though and I can't wait for the next BW series, Megatron Origin, and the upcoming spotlights!

WHAT are you talking about! You're totally missing the point--how can they be "in disguise" when they're cars running around without anyone behind the wheel? The avatar/drivers complete the disguise. It's one of those things that makes you wonder what took them so long to put into the mythos. And they use them around the humans because seeing them at eye level and not using their immense, intimidating real bodies probably leads to better interaction.

trent hughes wrote:

Kranix-76 wrote: That is, of course, unless the whole Unicron-Primus mythos comes back again. Oy...

you...you just had to go and jinx it, didn't you?

Hey! The Primus origin story for the Transformers is awesome! Would you rather the Transformers had been built by five-faced alien squids and Unicron by a talking monkey who built doomsday entities as a hobby?

JazZeke wrote:Hey! The Primus origin story for the Transformers is awesome! Would you rather the Transformers had been built by five-faced alien squids and Unicron by a talking monkey who built doomsday entities as a hobby?

nothing against it as an origin, but how many more spins can one lone brit put on it?

Whoa, Hot Rod is Sideburn. Which was sort of obvious from the RiD toy.

I agree with Kranix-76 on the IDW comics. DW was pretty good, but I like this a lot more.

I know this thread is a bit old, but oh well. By the way, is the Escalation TPB out yet?

JazZeke wrote:

Roboto750 wrote:One of the things that I can't stand in the IDW series are all those darn holographic human projections the bots have. Why do we need to see them as humans? It s a book about robots! It's like making Cylons look like humans in Battlestar Galactica.... oh wait they did that, and I'm not a fan of it either.

I like what IDW has done with everything else though and I can't wait for the next BW series, Megatron Origin, and the upcoming spotlights!

WHAT are you talking about! You're totally missing the point--how can they be "in disguise" when they're cars running around without anyone behind the wheel? The avatar/drivers complete the disguise. It's one of those things that makes you wonder what took them so long to put into the mythos. And they use them around the humans because seeing them at eye level and not using their immense, intimidating real bodies probably leads to better interaction.

trent hughes wrote:

Kranix-76 wrote: That is, of course, unless the whole Unicron-Primus mythos comes back again. Oy...

you...you just had to go and jinx it, didn't you?

Hey! The Primus origin story for the Transformers is awesome! Would you rather the Transformers had been built by five-faced alien squids and Unicron by a talking monkey who built doomsday entities as a hobby?

No, I get the point they're trying to make. I like the whole driver thing, but I don't like it when they have the avatars talk/interact with the human characters and such opposed to the bots. In other words, I just feel they're overdone in the story, opposed to just being "part of the disguise."

Devastation looks like its moving along nicely. This hotrod/wheeljack pairup promises to be amusing. I can just see the methodic scientist in wheeljack gettin pissed off royally with hotrods impulsiveness? Especially since half of wheeljack's inventions blow up without and dennis the menace style help.

As far as idw vs dw goes, everyone is entitled to their opinions so i don't have anything to add about the comics, but company wise... There is definately something to be said for consistancy, and dw didn't have it. I thought that it was one massive, massive plot until a realized that it was just inconsistencies and not seperete sub-plots. And i'm quite happy when my worst delay is a month for a mess up, and i get an explanation and 3 other comics to hold me over instead of a very disappointing long drive to the comics store. Though i must admit it was fun having a company cater to my g1 fanboy self for a while, i'll stick with idw. And while i can see how people would prefer other artist than ej su, we're still getting releases from every other great tf artist out there. Hell, even seeing the rejected don perlin cover for prime's spotlight put a huge smile on my face.

Yay! Supercharged Side Burn lives! Er, I mean, I'm looking forward to this one. Su's work is improving, and Furman I could take or leave, but these stories are definitely not another run around the old ball park, which is good, IMO. I may have to hold back on buying the issues and go right to the TPB, though - between movie stuff and other expenses, my wallet's kind of a bit of a sticky-wicket lately.

As for the IDW cricitisms...bah. I think the holographic drivers are a nice touch, and as for redesigning the TFs...duh. It's a rebooted version of G1. There's no logistical reason for ALL the Autobots to have 30-year-old alt-modes in a story set in the present-day (the movie's approach to Bumblebee at least seems a little more realistic). I also like the fact that they're not introducing TFs left and right - it seemed Dreamwave's G1 was bringing in a new TF every issue, which made it a pain to follow all the plot threads; here at least all the core cast was established in Infiltration, with guests/replacements coming in as needed. And the humans are a necessary evil, IMO, especially to any variation of G1.

At least Dreamwave knew the characters. I want to like IDW. I really do, but it's just lacking. Stormbringer was as empty as a redundant Pretender shell.

Plus how can Prowl not outrank Hot Rod? What kind of crap is that? Why does Furman's Prowl always lose his temper/composure? Has he not read the near infinite patience and logical personality bit on the tech specs.

That car with the flame decoes? I've heard Tracks, Hot Rod and even RID Sideburn but didn't Nightbeat's toy have flames as well?

Hopefully, Furman will learn what Prowl should be like soon and give us some interesting Bots instead of boring old Wheeljack and Jetfire.

I miss Dreamwave and Marvel.

I'd like to think the 'head' of the Machination is Scorponok. It fits in with his modus operandi according to the Ultra Magnus spotlight. Otherwise it could only be Soundwave. If it's Scorponok though, we may get to see Ultar Magnus on earth.

Windsweeper wrote: Hopefully, Furman will learn what Prowl should be like soon and give us some interesting Bots instead of boring old Wheeljack and Jetfire.

I miss Dreamwave and Marvel.

because furman didn't write prowl the same way in the marvel series.

Yes, yes, back to play Devil's Advocate yet again...

Windsweeper wrote:At least Dreamwave knew the characters. I want to like IDW. I really do, but it's just lacking. Stormbringer was as empty as a redundant Pretender shell.

I'm curious as to how Dreamwave "knew" the characters. Did they go along with an already-established storyline that was only slightly altered to allow for its continuation? Yes. But most of the "defining" moments came not from actual development (outside of War Within, I'll grant you that), but from reinforcing previously-existing molds for the characters. The only character I can think of doing something other than what was expected of him was Wheeljack, but only because it was the first time we'd seen him in a "save-the-world" moment. Stormbringer, on the other hand, was an attempt to resolve the fans' cries of "no squishies!" and focus more on the downfall of Cybertron and its toll on Optimus. I'd say it worked.

Plus how can Prowl not outrank Hot Rod? What kind of crap is that?

Prowl is only the commander of the detachment of Autobots on Earth. Given the exchange between Megs and Screamer from Infiltration about Earth being "a backwater world" and such, I can't imagine Prowl being that highly-ranked an officer. Hot Rod, on the other hand, seems more like a "special ops" kind of character--I'm not that familiar with military regulations in the West, but it seems like such a distinction would place ol' Rod a little above most of the "Earthforce."

Why does Furman's Prowl always lose his temper/composure? Has he not read the near infinite patience and logical personality bit on the tech specs.

The current incarnation of Prowl has a lot on his plate: he has three Autobots (out of six!) under his command who have been prone to insubordination. His superior has been summoned behind his back to deal with the situation. A soldier under his command has been made a casualty, as well as a human native whose presence went against his orders. And now he has to deal with an unorthodox, brash, and arrogant hot shot who ignores protocol like it's his job. The only Transformers that seem to have the kind of patience needed to deal with such a situation would be Prime himself and Shockwave (though for very different reasons).

Hopefully, Furman will learn what Prowl should be like soon and give us some interesting Bots instead of boring old Wheeljack and Jetfire.

Ouch. No love for Wheeljack...who, aside from the first Dreamwave series, never really does anything except serve as window dressing. And he was my bloody favorite as a kid.

Personally, I dig what Furman is trying to do with Prowl--yes, maybe an old approach, but at least it fits this time, and maybe with Optimus there, we can see the calmer, more collected side of the strategist, or the reason why he isn't so calm and collected this time around. After all...if Prowl really is some kind of big-shot Autobot, maybe there's a reason he's posted to Earth. Maybe all those cycles of "infinite patience" finally caused him to crack under pressure? Think of the possibilities...

Anyway, nothing personal, Windsweeper. I just think that the IDW books are getting a bum wrap 'round these parts...

I enjoy both companies but they are different of course.

I really appreciate the ambition of IDW. How they are trying to have an interconnected nature of the Transformers universe. Every action seems to have a consequences unintended or not which I think is smart because I think you have to shrink what is potentially a huge universe without things being too contrived like the Star Wars prequels.

As far as the Prowl-Hot Rod thing I think Prowl represents in some ways the beaurocrat. The Autobots arent portrayed as a willy nilly band of rebels but rather a large organization with a structure and protocols. We see this with the hoops Springer had to jump to rescue Kup.

In such beauracries you are going to have characters like Prowl who seem to get in the way at times when action is needed. You can debate whether it should be Prowl that is used this way based on his established history but I understand why he is the way he is.

I like the holomatter devices that IDW has. The worlds that the Transformers arent built for big robots waltzing into structures. There are going to be places where they need to get into that they normally could not. We see this with Ultra Magnus spotlight. For people who dont like humans sullying their giant robot action it should be a welcome plot device.