The Energon Pub

[Darth Bombshell]

Like it says on the tin, here's the discussion thread for the recently released Spotlight.

I have to say, on the whole, I enjoyed the issue a whole lot. Much like he did with SL: Blurr, it was a good attempt to focus on a little known and underutilized character, and it did so in such a way that I couldn't help but be swept up in events, despite the obvious cliches and set-ups you could spot a mile away. Of course, to me, compared to his last non AHM work, the fanfic-lite attempt to give his walking Gary Stu over with the fans otherwise known as SL: Drift, anything would be quality, even if the art and story were utter...well, you get the idea.

If only McCarthy could have done this well on AHM...

Anyways, I've said my piece. Now what say you?

[Random]

This Spotlight was pretty cool and touched on the concept of things happening on OTHER planets besides Earth rather well. I know it was just one issue, but if the kids were fleshed out over time, I like to think that they'd turn into companion characters unlike anything we've had yet.

I know the issue wasn't about the kids, but the total interaction between them and Cliffjumper made the issue for me. When they first saw him, they didn't scream and back away. They were simply curious and it grew from that.

Also, who were those Decepticons?

[Tigertrack]

I really enjoyed the issue. I think, for me, it made Cliffjumper relevant. I never really liked the character before, even if he was voiced by Casey Kasem in G1.

There just wasn't much to him, but rush in and get your friends in trouble, or freak out about traitors.

But this, this issue fleshed him out more. Gave him a function, and an edge that to me, made him more interesting, but also a bit out of character for what I was used to. His kindness to the locals, his patience, and his final ass kicking, well, all were thought out, calculated, and weighed, like he actually thought about things before he did them.

Couple nice touches. The hot metal, and the fact that Transformers do not feel heat or cold at least to that degree.

I also thought him being an assassin, and a bad ass weapons master was cool, but it seems like every Autobot us becoming a weapons master of sorts... ah well.

Yes, we could see what was coming. But I still enjoyed it.

The cons looked to be nobody that we were to know, since they were mainly nameless that I remember, but they had hints of coolness to them.

Much better issue than I was expecting. A very happy surprise.

4.5 out of 5 stars, good art, and surprising story, and changing my mind about an otherwise unlikable character previously. Seems like Cliffjumper gave his paranoia to Ironhide, and decided to be a bit more intelligent about things.