The Energon Pub

'X' marks the spot.

SPOILERS

MTMTE has been a top class series so far. The fast paced adventures of the Lost Light, with its Captain Rodimus and its crew of Transformers of varying popularity have, for the last 3 months, given us laughs, great stories and an overall interesting adventure. Issue 4 if it were even thought possible, turns all of that up to 11.



For those following the series, the name Delphi should be familiar and the opening few pages here allow First Aid to give us a bit more of an insight into the medical outpost hinted at in the Last Stand of the Wreckers. It soon becomes apparent that the recording received way back in issue 1 by the Cybertronian-based Autobots after the Lost Light was seemingly destroyed, was not one to be ignored, not that that was ever likely to stop them.



Fast forward 3 issues and, inside Swerve’s packed new bar and upon receiving readings from an unusual broadcast via Fisitron (remember him?) relating to death rates at the facility, Ratchet has decided it is time investigate Delphi – unaware of the warnings - selecting Drift and Pipes to accompany him. What they find once they get to the medical facility is, as always, more than... (well, you get the point by now.)



What stands out the most about this issue is the relentless humour in such a dark situation, in both the art and the writing. Even in this darkest of scenarios, the visual gags and banter lighten the mood up to and including the huge reveal at the end ensuring a great read. Roberts weaves a tight, enthralling and, with the Tailgate saga, a thought-provoking story, whilst Milne and Burcham make a good show of the imagery. There's nothing spectacular, although the interior of Delphi itself has a deliberate menacing feel to it, but Milne's ability with layouts and to squeeze in the additional background slapstick around the vast dialogue bubbles further helps to bring the ship (and facility) to life in ways that are overlooked in other series.



MTMTE shows no sign of slowing down, in fact it shows the complete opposite, and has been consistently more entertaining than its more traditional sister-series Robots In Disguise which must be feeling the pressure by now. I would not hesitate to recommend that you pick this up, even if you are new to the series, as it is just going from strength to strength and there are still some 150 more characters on the Lost Light yet to explore...

First of all, let me say that I agree with all the mountains of praise heaped upon this book. It is tremendous world building. It's loaded with dialogue. It's dense.

But what I strongly disagree with is that it is superior to the other two titles Idw is cranking out right now. It totally blows the old ongoing away, yes. But so do RiD and Autocracy. On more than one set of boards people have noted how much love they have for the other titles, and some have even indicated that they like RiD more. But the stigma that MTMTE just has to be the better title, due to it's author being the writer behind LSOTW, seems to have created a taboo around this viewpoint.

MTMTE IS all that. But so is RID. In fact, I seriously doubt that the above assertion that RID is "feeling the pressure" is true at all. If MTMTE didn't have Roberts across the cover, there would be tons of fans who liked RID more one month, MTMTE more another. Transformers is a cult following. And now, after LSLOTW, there has emerged a "cult following within a cult following" that is dedicated to James Roberts and Nick Roche. And that is fine. In fact, it's perfectly natural. The same thing happens in music. Some people may be fans of, say, goth music in general and some may just be die hard fans of HIM or The Cure. Someone may love Nine Inch Nails or they may be simply fans of Trent Reznor, and may consider him the best producer who ever walked the earth, listening to every record he has helped record.

Heck, there are even people who are fans of particular actors or actresses and watch different movies for that reason.

But all this aside, MTMTE is NOT a titan hammering RID or even Autocracy into the ground effortlessly. Autocracy is a story that I am sure many, many fans from the old school have waited for for a very long time, and Livio is one of the greatest new artists Idw has added to the Transformers catalogue since getting the license(of course, if you bring that up in many places, everyone starts reminding you that Nick is the Greatest ). Rather than draw the Tfs as a bunch of ravers on a spaceship or try to bring out all the witty goofiness of a monty python skit Livio has restored the grandeur and mythic element of these creatures and their history in Autocracy, which is not only telling a story of vast importance to TFs history, but doing an amazing job of it.

As to RID, this is the type of comic that could only happen with the right team and the right scenario. A perfect blend of the political storms and character dispositions which Transformers was always capable of. And the focus on Starscream, followed by that on Wheeljack, felt like the greatest SL issues that never happened. And finally, Prowl is fully emerging as the control freak he is.

So my point is, these new series are ALL amazing. Not just MTMTE. There may not be as much dialogue in RID, but there is at least as much character development and while some don't like the art, a lot of us who don't need everything to look like Nick drew it are enjoying it a lot.

I look forward to the rest of the year and all 3 of the new titles. And I don't mean to slight MTMTE at all, really. I reread all the new issues recently and enjoyed RID 1 and 2 more than MTMTE 1 and 2, but then enjoyed MTMTE 3 and 4 more than RID #3. As to Roberts, Chaos Theory is my favorite Tfs comic of all time. So I am merely saying that whether or not one series is the best is largely subjective.

Peace!

hook line and sinker wrote:So I am merely saying that whether or not one series is the best is largely subjective.

Thanks for commenting, I agree with that sentiment completely.

When I look at the these books for review for Seibertron.com I look at a range of aspects carefully before I begin, the core ones being writing and art (obviously), consistency, the characters ability to hold our interest and draw us into their story and overall entertainment, but I know that my conclusions will not always be shared.

Leaving Autocracy aside as it's not an ongoing and is in a different class to these, and I 100% agree with you that it is a fantastic view into the past, RID's core problem is that it's the later of the two to be released and readers of them both will naturally use the preceding comic as the benchmark for the next and personally speaking, for overall entertainment value, I'll admit I usually look forward to the next MTMTE more than I do RID. This is partially because I feel the art in RID lacks consistency; characters with ageing details that are there in one panel and absent the next and the character designs of a few of the leads, especially Arcee are, frankly, awful, but also because the story just isn't as punchy, humorous or as engrossing as MTMTE on an issue-by-issue basis. Yes, MTMTE is a more superficial and silly sketch show as opposed to an involving story planned over long series of issues, but for that comparison to work, RID needs to be spectacular and for me it's just not quite there yet, although the potential is still there.

(Spoiler for MTMTE#4)
It's not really anything to do with the MTMTE writers involvement in the Wreckers series either, although the comparisons are hard to ignore, but MTMTE's relentless entertainment ethic means that even in a story that delves into topics such as death, plague and hopelessness in such a way as it does in Delphi and with Tailgate, it can still maintain a humour level that is consistent and relevant. RiD is consciously trying to be a different comic but still feels slightly disjointed and out of time with its sister title.

I would love to be proved wrong and once the story arc for Cybertron and its new government is complete I have no doubt that it will be an extremely successful TPB, probably with more longevity than MTMTE, but in being broken up into parts this way it is struggling to get by. RID is still a great comic - still much better than most of the preceding ongoing arcs - but it is missing that edge, for now at least. Final judgement will be in the terms of complete story, not on individual issues, and it has every chance of coming off very well.


I hope that gives you more of an idea of where I'm coming from with these reviews. It is an apples/oranges comparison between the two, but it's also inevitable, and I welcome feedback like this, it is good to see what others think of these reviews.

Yeah, comparison between these two comic books are definitely "apples and oranges". What similarities that they do have is that these are far superior reads then their predecessors and give you an option of good fiction. I will say I am in the MTMTE camp, but in no way that I dislike RID. I think both have their merits, but for me, I love the fun stuff that MTMTE has each month. I buy MTMTE monthly and will buy the trade as well, and will just buy the TPB of RID. I have read the first two issues of RID and I know myself, and will really enjoy them more in TPB style. I suggest to everyone out there to definitely give both books a look at if they haven't yet. I think there is something there for any transformer fan, or even just a comic book fan.

I think I am more of an RID fan myself, but enjoy MTMTE for its relatively lighter tone.

I am seriously impressed by both writers, and I do enjoy the serious tone that RID is pulling off nicely.


That said, I really enjoyed this issue, it managed to tie in nicely with the Wreckers' story, sort of an aftermath, if you will.
(And I got the Roche cover, which is always a plus!)

I am going to defend Psychout here. First of all, I may have led him in that direction when I read the preview book before him and made some certain comments about how me being a Prowl slappy but actually enjoys MTMTE more than I do RID right now even with the front seat that Prowl has taken in RID.

I absolutely agree with the art comments. RIDs matches the story telling practically 90% of the time. The expressions, details, coloring, layout, etc., support the writing immensely!

In RID, while the art is not bad, it is inconsistent, and does not feel like the artist has necessarily found the style that they want to stick with and use consistently with the story-telling in RID.

The art in Autocracy totally works with it, and I agree that I also enjoy Autocracy as well, story and art.

Don't hang one reviewer over one comment. All the stories, comics, and art are something that many TFfans collecting the new fiction have wanted.

Ongoing has been blown away.

And for those that always like to give reviewers a hard time, remember, you should try to put yourself out there for a whole, large group of fans to read, digest, and critique. And then do it as a 2ndary, 2ndary voluntary position. It ain't easy.

Thanks tiger, I promise it's not all your fault

As far as I am concerned, you guys can try and hang me all you want as it's good to hear the other side of the fandom's opinion. I prefer a lighter side to my awesome space robots, which my reviews hopefully reflect, so naturally I'd gravitate to MTMTE. But, then again, as you can see in my Autocracy reviews, I love that darker style as well. RID is balancing admirably between those two extremes.

As I said in my reply though, I can well see RID picking up steam and knocking MTMTE off its perch, we'll have to see what #4 has to offer.

Well, if my post came across as an attempt to hang the reviewer, then I failed to get my message across.

I only mean to say that I believe Rocherts have a cult or nich fillowing within a cult following (which is completely normal, Simon Furman has had that for decades now) and that the other titles are often as good as MTMTE or Wreckers.

That's all!

And hey, I'm a fan of MTMTE too. I just kind of enjoy all the books equally I guess.

And yes, they are all better than the old ongoing.

And thank God they didn't waste any time trying to fill in the demolition zone of plot holes left open by it.

It didn't to me Hook, we're good.

Good

Can't wait to see more random characters like Barrel Roll from RID and Prowl from Beast Wars/Dent!

So I've been reading and reading this issue over a few times and I have a few theories that I want to toss out before the next issue comes on out.

I think the Red Rust virus only affects cybertronians that have transformed. I think it lays dormant in an infected bot until he transforms which may then act as some kind of catalyst for the virus. I'm thinking the DJD sent the two genericons (who don't transform) to get after Ambulon. I think he's a former con. So why not use two members of Triple M to use as carries, but are completely harmless to them since they won't transform. And who cares if a few autobots die in the collateral. Most of the older patients don't seem to be showing symptom (been just laying in rest) and Pipes and Drift are already showing symptoms immediately after transforming.

Whatcha all think. Oh, and I think when this next issue is said and done, the DJD will realize that Drift in closer to them then ever, might as well take another one off their list of wanted.

Prime Evil wrote:So I've been reading and reading this issue over a few times and I have a few theories that I want to toss out before the next issue comes on out.

I think the Red Rust virus only affects cybertronians that have transformed. I think it lays dormant in an infected bot until he transforms which may then act as some kind of catalyst for the virus. I'm thinking the DJD sent the two genericons (who don't transform) to get after Ambulon. I think he's a former con. So why not use two members of Triple M to use as carries, but are completely harmless to them since they won't transform. And who cares if a few autobots die in the collateral. Most of the older patients don't seem to be showing symptom (been just laying in rest) and Pipes and Drift are already showing symptoms immediately after transforming.

Whatcha all think. Oh, and I think when this next issue is said and done, the DJD will realize that Drift in closer to them then ever, might as well take another one off their list of wanted.

After reading issue #5's preview, you are correct Ratchet old boy!!!

Nice detective work there, and in retrospect, it does fit. I'm a dummy.

tigertracks 24 wrote:

Prime Evil wrote:So I've been reading and reading this issue over a few times and I have a few theories that I want to toss out before the next issue comes on out.

I think the Red Rust virus only affects cybertronians that have transformed. I think it lays dormant in an infected bot until he transforms which may then act as some kind of catalyst for the virus. I'm thinking the DJD sent the two genericons (who don't transform) to get after Ambulon. I think he's a former con. So why not use two members of Triple M to use as carries, but are completely harmless to them since they won't transform. And who cares if a few autobots die in the collateral. Most of the older patients don't seem to be showing symptom (been just laying in rest) and Pipes and Drift are already showing symptoms immediately after transforming.

Whatcha all think. Oh, and I think when this next issue is said and done, the DJD will realize that Drift in closer to them then ever, might as well take another one off their list of wanted.

After reading issue #5's preview, you are correct Ratchet old boy!!!

Nice detective work there, and in retrospect, it does fit. I'm a dummy.

IDK, they threw me for a loop having Pharma being the traitor. I was to taken in by the too obvious clues towards Ambulon. But hey, I love the guessing and being wrong. That's just great writing there. Now I really want to know why did Pharma do that. He sounds like someone that was at the top of his profession. What's the motivation?