The Energon Pub

Just what the title says. After 50 issues (supposedly on the way to 100), which series do you like better? MTMTE or Transformers (previously RiD)?

I read through MTMTE 1st, buying all the TPBs, and am now making my way through Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Volume 6 is in the mail. So far, I think they're pretty even. At 1st, I didn't think I'd like Transformers as much as MTMTE, but I actually am intrigued quite a bit. If I HAD to pick, I'd go with MTMTE, but not by much.

Up until quite recently, I would have said I'm into both equally. There were times I was into one more than the other, in both directions, at different points.

As time wears on, MTMTE has kept me much more invested. I still read and enjoy RiD a lot, but something about All Hail Optimus and the arc before it just keeps ringing a bit hollow. Fun reads, some interesting characters, but the overall plot and setting of RiD haven't been engaging as of late.

I think I'm just so ready for anything with the IDW incarnation of Spike Witwicky to end that it's begun to inject some actual resentment into the rest of the book. Put another way, he's not a heel that I'd boo because he's doing good as a heel, he's a babyface I'd boo because I want him off the TV screen.

From the authors themselves (in an interview so out of date it's almost cute, even though it was published two days ago).

Barber: In Robots In Disguise, everybody’s kind of a jerk and they all have American accents; in More Than Meets The Eye they all are charmingly deprecating to one another and have British accents.

Robers: Robots in Disguise tells the big, sweeping stories that change the direction of the Transformers Universe: stakes are high, momentous decisions are made, actions have consequences, and the repercussions affect everyone else. More Than Meets The Eye is exactly the same, except none of the characters realize it.

http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comic ... ng-g1-epic

I personally prefer MTMTE a lot more. It really struck a cord with me that hasn't been struck for a while - I cared for the characters, the writing seemed fresh and new both in the plotting and how the characters spoke, the more you read back on previous issues the more things you start to see and the more you see how this thing back in Issue 12 relates to this thing in Issue 54... it's just been a wonderful ride. Maybe I'm a bit biased because I do kind of like the concept of bunch-of-nerds-on-a-ship-having-random-adventures (I did grow up with and obsess over Doctor Who), but it's just my favourite thing right now.

Ex-RiD/Transformers is... good. It's good. There's certainly some big problems I have with it - Arcee and every single Prime before Optimus being the exact same dickish character - but those are mostly hangovers from previous writers (ESPECIALLY the mess that was Arcee, goddamn. Was there anything Furman wrote that was worse?) and are not enough to really tarnish the series me for. They sting, but I can deal with it. It's hard to explain but a lot of the series just feels a little empty as of late, I guess. I loved the pre-Dark Cybertron stuff almost as much as MTMTE, which is weird because I didn't expect I'd enjoy politics of all things. But the recent stuff while I've enjoyed it isn't something I adore. It's more like something I stop by to read and catch up on but I'm not extremely to desperate to do so. It's there, I like it.
There are certain elements and characters I adore, though. Soundwave and Cosmos being at the top of that list - they're wonderful. Ever since ex-RiD 22 (Soundwaves), Casette Dad's easily become my favourite character in the series and seeing his relationship with Cosmos only helps me love both. And of course, you really can't mention fantastic characters in IDW's earth stories without bringing up Thundercracker. He's just beautiful, and I love him... but I must admit I'm not very comfortable with the idea of him becoming an Autobot. Unless they're making an awesome we-used-to-be-big-decepticons-but-now-we're-redeemed-autobots team with Megsy at the helm, I'm not buying it. I also kind of like Buster and Faireborn. Pyra Magna's sort of decent?

But yeah, that's the problem. MTMTE as a whole package I love and have very little issue with - if any at all. ex-RiD as a whole package I... sort of like reading, but only bits and pieces of it I'm in love with as I am MTMTE.

One in a series of rambles that proves Kurona shouldn't write anything that's not a shitpost at quarter to 2 in the morning