The Energon Pub

AHM #3 Discussion and Reation Thread



Firstly, I so called it! "Construction has begun..." New Cybertron!

Secondly, wasn't it wonderful with Hook's comment, "How vulgar!"

Thirdly, (Not actually in order here.) Astrotrain! It's a train coming to save us! Oh, oh that was perfect.

Last but definately not least guys...

That discussion between Megatron and Starscream was heavy.

1. What do you think Megatron ment by Starscream's brothers? A brothers in arms type refference to the 'Cons as a whole, or was it the explaination about the three Seekers that we were told we'd see in AHM?

2. What do you think Megatron ment by "brought about by one of their own." An autobot traitor?

3. What do you think Starscream ment by saying he was there before there was a beggining, before Megatron?

4. What is that "One step away" Megatron was hinting at to Starscream?

5. Related to Q.#4 - Did anyone notice the whole conversation above Megatron had his back turned to Starscream and was unarmed?

Well - everyone seems slow with this issue so let me say what I thought of it - rubbish!

IDW have one last issue to prove to me it's worth following before I switch off from this series.

So far we have had 66 pages to this series that has involved the Decepticons laying waste to New York. We have had about four interesting pages out of those 66 - the last two pages of the first issues and the two pages of Starscream and Megatron talking where we finally have learned something this issue. Okay, I will throw in that one page with Frenzy.

So that is it - 66 pages, three months of my life, €16.50 out of my pocket (about $20) and all for five pages of anyway interesting material.

Don't get me wrong - I love the con's laying waste to things and doing what they do best - but three issues of the same thing - come on. This should have been one issue, two would have been stretching it - but three??

It is a joke that the excellent story line that Simon Furman has been building for years is getting butchered to make room for this.

One more issue - Maximum Dinobots better make up for this.

It's not exactly going along at a world record pace now is it? The past three issues could have been easily condensed into one.

The Megatron/Starscream banter was interesting, and a theory from another board has propositioned that perhaps the Decepticons have all but completely routed the Autobot forces, and that the ones we saw at the end of AHM #1 may be all that survived... if so that would make this comic slightly more interesting.

One thing we do know for sure, is that after all events that occur in AHM, Wheelie still survives, so there remains at the very least 1 Autobot.

I know that I will continue to get AHM, but I am resigned to the fact that this will be a very mediocre maxi-series, that will most likely be remembered as fondly as "The Carwash of Doom" and DW's "Micromasters" series.

At least the art is pretty...

I miss the speed and originality from the last 2 issues so far... the first one was fine with the massacres, but the second was slow on effective story, and the last one had about two-three pages that moved the story forwards. I hope they will make improvements in the next issues (still better than Reign of Starscream)

ponycorn wrote:1. What do you think Megatron ment by Starscream's brothers? A brothers in arms type refference to the 'Cons as a whole, or was it the explaination about the three Seekers that we were told we'd see in AHM?

2. What do you think Megatron ment by "brought about by one of their own." An autobot traitor?

3. What do you think Starscream ment by saying he was there before there was a beggining, before Megatron?

4. What is that "One step away" Megatron was hinting at to Starscream?

5. Related to Q.#4 - Did anyone notice the whole conversation above Megatron had his back turned to Starscream and was unarmed?

Ok, this issue was just meh. It definitely could have moved a bit more. I was definitely disappointed so far with what we have. The sad thing is, I'll still be picking this up no matter what. I just need some kind of TF fiction. But I WILL NOT be telling anyone that they should be buying this, cause so far it's pretty crappy.

1) I'm just assuming Megs means "brothers in arm" type of reference. If he means actual brothers, then I might actually drop the book for that. SERIOUSLY!!

2)Yeah, there's a traitor in the Autobot ranks, but that's part of the whole mystery that is AHM. Hell, this storyline is one big effn mystery. Why am I reading this again?

3)I have no effin clue. I guess we'll get a Starscream Spotlight to flesh that one out. That or this guy didn't read the Megatron Origins story...which could be a good thing.

4)No clue

5)Yeah, if anything was remotely enjoyable with this issue, it was the dialogue between Megs n Screamer. THAT'S IT.

Ok, can anyone tell me what the hell is Reflector doing in AHM? Isn't he/they supposed to be stuck on the same planet as Wheelie...and then destroyed? WTF IDW?

You bring up a couple of good points Prime Evil.

It is getting progressivly harder to mesh AHM with Megatron: Origin and the rest of the IDW continuity.

Prime Evil wrote:

ponycorn wrote:
3. What do you think Starscream ment by saying he was there before there was a beggining, before Megatron?

4. What is that "One step away" Megatron was hinting at to Starscream?

3)I have no effin clue. I guess we'll get a Starscream Spotlight to flesh that one out. That or this guy didn't read the Megatron Origins story...which could be a good thing.

4)No clue

3. See Megatron: Origins, when Starscream was doing Megatron's bidding before the Decepticons were "formed". It is also hinted in origins that Starscream was already a criminal/mercenary before the events of Origins...

4. There is one thing that has stopped Starscream from becoming a "true Decepticon". I personally chose to take it as meaning that Starscream needs to destroy Megatron and take leadership to full embrace "Decepticonism".

Prime Evil wrote:Ok, can anyone tell me what the hell is Reflector doing in AHM? Isn't he/they supposed to be stuck on the same planet as Wheelie...and then destroyed? WTF IDW?

Mc Carthy has stated that the later events of Spotlight: Wheelie takes place a very long time into the future. Which means that it could possibly be that Reflector and Wheelie are the last two of their species if AHM goes bonkers with the bodycount.

Well, contrary to what a lot of others have been saying, I am enjoying AHM quite well, since I have ditched the whole idea that it somehow fits into the existing Furman-verse. There are quite a few nice things about it I enjoy!

The conversation between Starscream and Megatron is lovely! It also raised a question with me as well...."The systematic, simultaneous galaxy-wide assault brought on by one of their own." This line alone had me going "HUH?" All in all, it was nice to see those two have a quasi-civil conversation, although I do believe I still see the wheels of treachery still grinding away in Starscream's little head!

The humans are surprisingly engaging in this series as well....reminds me of other humans in movies involving global assault from powerful alien forces!

The best was Astrotrain! What better Con to eliminate resistance build-ups in the underground subway systems? Pure genius!

All in all, I am still holding out judgement on this series, since it is a long-winded affair (12-issues) and I did expect it to drag a bit in the beginning, which it is...If it continues thusly by issues, say, 6 or 7, I will declare it a yawner and move on..Until then, I will continue reading it! What can I do, being a GIANT Megatron fan-girl, but give it a HUGE chance!

i_amtrunks wrote:4. There is one thing that has stopped Starscream from becoming a "true Decepticon". I personally chose to take it as meaning that Starscream needs to destroy Megatron and take leadership to full embrace "Decepticonism".

That's what I was thinking, what with Megatron taking off his fusion cannon, turning his back, etc. Hence the

i_amtrunks wrote:

Prime Evil wrote:Ok, can anyone tell me what the hell is Reflector doing in AHM? Isn't he/they supposed to be stuck on the same planet as Wheelie...and then destroyed? WTF IDW?

Mc Carthy has stated that the later events of Spotlight: Wheelie takes place a very long time into the future. Which means that it could possibly be that Reflector and Wheelie are the last two of their species if AHM goes bonkers with the bodycount.

I flipped through Wheelie last nite and I think you're right. Wheelie sends Prime his distress call sometime Escalation (I forgot with "-tion" series.). And then Wheelie is pretty much left on that planet for an unknown period of time. Probably yeeeaars, and then we see Reflector. So yeah, I guess Wheelie will be stuck there for some time still. Now I'm startin to feel kinda bad for the lil guy.

Who wants to bet that Mirage is the "traitor?"

MYoung23 wrote:Who wants to bet that Mirage is the "traitor?"

Cliffjumper steps up to the plate...

MYoung23 wrote:Who wants to bet that Mirage is the "traitor?"

Nope, cause he's in the 1st issue with the Stranded bots on Cybertron. I'm sure they wouldn't let him walk freely among them if he was the traitor.

I wonder if Nemesis Prime would count as "one of their own"?

He is the one that took Prime down, and Prime is the Backbone of the Autobots, take him out and you've got the Autobots in a severely weakened state.

And we do not actually know if an 'Autobot' turned on his brethren/sold them out etc, for all we know it could be that an Autobot made a mistake, didn't destroy a Decepticon weapon when he should have, used an unsecure line of communication etc that the Decepticons may have well taken advantage of.

But I dont think McCarthy is that good of a writer, so it'll be something simple like an Autobot traitor that led to the Autobot demise.

i_amtrunks wrote:I wonder if Nemesis Prime would count as "one of their own"?

He is the one that took Prime down, and Prime is the Backbone of the Autobots, take him out and you've got the Autobots in a severely weakened state.

And we do not actually know if an 'Autobot' turned on his brethren/sold them out etc, for all we know it could be that an Autobot made a mistake, didn't destroy a Decepticon weapon when he should have, used an unsecure line of communication etc that the Decepticons may have well taken advantage of.

But I dont think McCarthy is that good of a writer, so it'll be something simple like an Autobot traitor that led to the Autobot demise.

Inititally I thought Megatron was talking about a human traitor, but in re-reading I figured it was probably an autobot.

You make a good point though, perhaps it was more of accident/failure than intentional treachery... whoever the transgressing party was.

IDK, from the conversation that Megs and Screamer had, it seemed that it was an intentional betrayal and not accidental. But that's my interpretation of it. I'm saying straight out traitor.

Just got my issue today and literally read it in less than five minutes. This really was a short issue, not a lot of meat. I did like the Astrotrain action and the interaction between Megs and SS. The humans aren't doing much for me, but that's normal. It will be interesting to see what/who caused the Autobots to get their asses handed to them. I'm going to ride out the entire series if for nothing else the art.

El Duque wrote:Just got my issue today and literally read it in less than five minutes. This really was a short issue, not a lot of meat. I did like the Astrotrain action and the interaction between Megs and SS. The humans aren't doing much for me, but that's normal. It will be interesting to see what/who caused the Autobots to get their asses handed to them. I'm going to ride out the entire series if for nothing else the art.

True, the jury is still hung for me...

Will AHM be one of my favorite TF stories to date, or just 12 issues of irresitable eye candy?

ponycorn wrote:True, the jury is still hung for me...

Will AHM be one of my favorite TF stories to date, or just 12 issues of irresitable eye candy?

For me, I would rather have both, but if I have to sacrifice one, I'll sacrifice the art work. But right now, it's all just irresistable eye candy. Yummy.

Maybe an Autobot was Cerebro-shelled. In Spotlight:Blaster we saw a tiny Bombshell and in AHM #1 we see a big Bombshell.

Even if that isnt the cause for the Autobot defeat I think that is something that needs to be explained.

MYoung23 wrote:Maybe an Autobot was Cerebro-shelled. In Spotlight:Blaster we saw a tiny Bombshell and in AHM #1 we see a big Bombshell.

Even if that isnt the cause for the Autobot defeat I think that is something that needs to be explained.

Yeah it is taking forever to get any real Insecticon action. We've been nothing but teased with them so far.

ponycorn wrote:

MYoung23 wrote:Maybe an Autobot was Cerebro-shelled. In Spotlight:Blaster we saw a tiny Bombshell and in AHM #1 we see a big Bombshell.

Even if that isnt the cause for the Autobot defeat I think that is something that needs to be explained.

Yeah it is taking forever to get any real Insecticon action. We've been nothing but teased with them so far.

Yeah I feel ya there, they were to be deployed against the human infantry in issue two only to be replaced by Frenzy. So far I am really liking this series for the fact that the art is great and that I have been waiting for a Decepticon focused series for a while. Next issue we do get some of the Autobots story, so that will be interesting.