The Energon Pub

News Credits: 56 · Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:57 pm

^ That would be satisfying indeed. ;)^

News Credits: 1350 · Thu Sep 06, 2018 3:16 pm

Actually I wouldn't like op vs megs. Instead I'd rather the final frame just being them observing a sunset, sharing an energon drink. We don't need it, both have moved on and we'll be getting op vs megs no doubt in the reboot.

News Credits: 56 · Thu Sep 06, 2018 3:23 pm

ZeroWolf wrote:Actually I wouldn't like op vs megs. Instead I'd rather the final frame just being them observing a sunset, sharing an energon drink. We don't need it, both have moved on and we'll be getting op vs megs no doubt in the reboot.

Yeah, guess I should have clarified. basically just and ending with Op & Megs together is all I want. A *Final Battle* would be OK, though a bit contrived given they've been at opposite ends of the Universe (different universes in fact I guess) for so long. Just a meeting of some sort, even something simple as "There will be no war today Optimus Prime, you've earned my respect" . Either way would work for me.

News Credits: 1350 · Thu Sep 06, 2018 3:34 pm

o.supreme wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:Actually I wouldn't like op vs megs. Instead I'd rather the final frame just being them observing a sunset, sharing an energon drink. We don't need it, both have moved on and we'll be getting op vs megs no doubt in the reboot.

Yeah, guess I should have clarified. basically just and ending with Op & Megs together is all I want. A *Final Battle* would be OK, though a bit contrived given they've been at opposite ends of the Universe (different universes in fact I guess) for so long. Just a meeting of some sort, even something simple as "There will be no war today Optimus Prime, you've earned my respect" . Either way would work for me.

It's cool

I'd even take a text story of them meeting, just to see what op says of megs now.

News Credits: 4877 · Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:42 am

Va'al wrote:I. The Beginning…
1. Megatron Origin
2. Spotlight - Orion Pax
3. Spotlight – Blur (All Hail Megatron Vol. 3 p. 4)
4. Autocracy
5. Monstrosity
6. Primacy
7. Spotlight - Thundercracker

I have been going back now that everything is ending and I finally read the famous Milne/Roberts two parter in the ongoing where you see how Orion first met Megatron. Yeah, it technically takes place around the end of the war. But the flashbacks are the main chunk of storytelling (especially in the Optimus chapter). And I read Autocracy right after (pure coincidence) and if starts by reffering directly to the end of that optimus chapter where you see Optimus confronting the senate, being taken down and rebuilt to have a matrix chamber (by unamed senator whch turns to be shockwave in the end,I think). So with so much of that two aprter being crucial to the chronology, and illustrating the ideals and being referred to by other prequel comics, I felt it would be important for any newcomer looking to read these chronologically, to read it before Autocracy. It would add a lot to the experience and the writers definitely intend for that to be read before anything that was written after.

I actually came here to see if there was more to that two parter. Like more stuff between Optimus meeting Megatrona nd then going to autocracy, but it seems like there isnt.

Also, another question, in TAAO, there is that amazing scene wher Starscream fears Megatron who we see in his G1 body (I know, there more to it, but I am not getting into that now). It of course referrs to their archetyal G1 relationship which we all know of. But is there actually a period in the comics where we see it? Is there an actual story with Megatron in his G1 body, with Starscream at his side who gets taken down whenever he has an idea of a coup, against Optimus Prime and his autbots? Or is that just All Hail Megatron?

Also, did Roberts and Milne contribute to the rest of the Ongoing Vol 5?

News Credits: 656 · Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:11 am

william-james88 wrote:Also, another question, in TAAO, there is that amazing scene wher Starscream fears Megatron who we see in his G1 body (I know, there more to it, but I am not getting into that now). It of course referrs to their archetyal G1 relationship which we all know of. But is there actually a period in the comics where we see it? Is there an actual story with Megatron in his G1 body, with Starscream at his side who gets taken down whenever he has an idea of a coup, against Optimus Prime and his autbots? Or is that just All Hail Megatron?

Also, did Roberts and Milne contribute to the rest of the Ongoing Vol 5?

"Not really" on the Starscream/Megs thing. There's a little of it in Infiltration/Escalation, and a follow-up to the AHM stuff in Spotlight: Megatron and into RiD, but thay's about it.

Roberts co-wrote Chaos with Costa. After reading some MTMTE/LL, the parts that are mostly Roberts stick out like a sore thumb. It gets Swerve, Brainstorm, Rung, and many others introduced as they flee Kimia.

I'll need some time to patch together the pre-war/war stuff. They've revisited it often but with these wide gaps and I don't have that all on recall.

News Credits: 4877 · Thu Sep 20, 2018 8:26 am

ScottyP wrote:"Not really" on the Starscream/Megs thing. There's a little of it in Infiltration/Escalation, and a follow-up to the AHM stuff in Spotlight: Megatron and into RiD, but thay's about it.

Roberts co-wrote Chaos with Costa. After reading some MTMTE/LL, the parts that are mostly Roberts stick out like a sore thumb. It gets Swerve, Brainstorm, Rung, and many others introduced as they flee Kimia.

I'll need some time to patch together the pre-war/war stuff. They've revisited it often but with these wide gaps and I don't have that all on recall.

Ah, so seeing them in their G1 bodies is just a reference to our collective memories of G1 (sunbow, comics, ect), too bad.

As for Roberts' writing, I am currently working on a story that dives deep into how precice everything must be and how he writes it in a way that it all connects to previous points. And I dont just mean an analysis of the comics, I mean his literal writing, all the notes he gives the artists in his scripts. I got a hold of one and I will write about his description (to the artist) about the battle at Hells Point. I just need time to write it.

Oh another question. The bit about Soundwave being part of a bigger entity (with like a million other bots) in the past is something I only ever saw in glimpses and understood nothing of. Is there a comic where we see what that is all about?

News Credits: 656 · Thu Sep 20, 2018 12:47 pm

Let's see, on body style in particular, I'd say anything pre-2012 is wildly inconsistent and characters change style sometimes issue to issue with no explanation. It happens a little in phase 2 as well, but mostly just to get a character closer to whatever current toy they have out (this is, of course, very much a generalization!)

I've got several of Roberts' scripts from various conventions, they're a treasure. The ones with the sidebar annotations even moreso! Wish I had more of them, but can't go to every con ever.

Soundwave was referencing events in Chaos, iirc

News Credits: 4877 · Thu Sep 20, 2018 2:29 pm

ScottyP wrote:Let's see, on body style in particular, I'd say anything pre-2012 is wildly inconsistent and characters change style sometimes issue to issue with no explanation. It happens a little in phase 2 as well, but mostly just to get a character closer to whatever current toy they have out (this is, of course, very much a generalization!)

I've got several of Roberts' scripts from various conventions, they're a treasure. The ones with the sidebar annotations even moreso! Wish I had more of them, but can't go to every con ever.

Soundwave was referencing events in Chaos, iirc

Cool chaos is on my to read list (right after finishing stormbringer, the autocracy trilogy, ad the spotlights). You know i am realizing one thing though, Furman is really not my thing. His writing style did not change with the times and while i am sure that is great for some people, it just feels very jarring as I read things chronologically and then go from a very dialogue driven style to something that sounds more narrative like Chris Claremont.

Do you buy the scripts at conventions from Roberts directly? I get them from artists to see a breakdown of the pages I buy from them.

News Credits: 656 · Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:07 pm

^ Yeah he brings them to shows and sells em. I have others grab copies and ship them, or buy directly - but wow, lines for him are extremely long! Worth waiting for though.

News Credits: 656 · Tue Sep 25, 2018 7:37 am

The Diamond hammer falls with OP 25 being pushed to 11/7. Might be eating turkey and reading it at this rate.

News Credits: 4877 · Tue Sep 25, 2018 8:41 am

Scotty, you will let me know if this should be asked in another thread but the question came up while i was looking at this to kow what to read next. Which turned out to be Stormbringer. I read it and I had 2 questions:

1. Why is it said that TR Astrotrain has a Stormbringer design if we never see him in Stormbringer?

2. I found the defeat of Thunderwing very aticlimactic. Sure, Optimus firing his ion cannon is always a blast (ha!) but when did it become this powerful? And why didnt he do it before?

News Credits: 462 · Tue Sep 25, 2018 9:04 am

william-james88 wrote:1. Why is it said that TR Astrotrain has a Stormbringer design if we never see him in Stormbringer?

The TPB for Stormbringer featured character design sketches as bonus content, which included a design for Astrotrain that that didn't make its way into the final version of the story but to which the TR figure's transformation scheme bears an uncanny resemblance:

News Credits: 656 · Wed Sep 26, 2018 7:52 am

william-james88 wrote:2. I found the defeat of Thunderwing very aticlimactic. Sure, Optimus firing his ion cannon is always a blast (ha!) but when did it become this powerful? And why didnt he do it before?

I haven't read this in a long time, but without looking, the answer is probably "because plot". Like Trunks' sword never did jack but now he can punk Zamasu with it? All plot.

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:48 am

ScottyP wrote:
william-james88 wrote:2. I found the defeat of Thunderwing very aticlimactic. Sure, Optimus firing his ion cannon is always a blast (ha!) but when did it become this powerful? And why didnt he do it before?
I haven't read this in a long time, but without looking, the answer is probably "because plot". Like Trunks' sword never did jack but now he can punk Zamasu with it? All plot.

I was wodnering if maybe he was chaneling the power of the matrix into his gun or something, only a last resort sort of thing that I missed. But on the page it just looks like Prime shooting with his massive gun and I am just wondering why he didnt before when worlds were being destroyed. Also wodnering how powerful prime is if he can singlehandedly kill the monster that brough Cybertron asunder.

News Credits: 656 · Mon Oct 01, 2018 9:35 am

Here's a crack at a pre-war timeline. This almost definitely has a mistake or few!

Also, since a significant majority of these stories are told through flashback, I have not noted this where it applies. Would have been on most of the darn list! If you see an issue listed, that's where the story is told, but it doesn't mean the whole issue is pre-war stuff.

Various accounts of The Guiding Hand, etc: MTMTE Annual, Lost Light 17, Lost Light 23
Probable accounting of the Knights of Cybertron: Lost Light 18
Optimus Prime 18
Optimus Prime 10 (in between flashback portions of OP 18)
Robots in Disguise 30
Robots in Disguise 34
Robots in Disguise Annual
Chaos Theory (Transformers (2011) 22-23)
Shadowplay (MTMTE 9-11)
MTMTE 34
MTMTE 36
Megatron: Origin
Robots in Disguise 22 (flashbacks in issue are reverse chronological and interspersed with events in Megatron: Origin)
All Hail Megatron 13 (first flashback only)
Spotlight: Orion Pax
Spotlight: Thundercracker
Spotlight: Blurr
Optimus Prime 1-6
Optimus Prime 8
Transformers 2017 Annual
[War starts here] Autocracy
Monstrosity
Primacy
Spotlight: Shockwave
Spotlight: Soundwave
Robots in Disguise 21

Tue Nov 06, 2018 5:52 pm

ScottyP wrote:The Diamond hammer falls with OP 25 being pushed to 11/7. Might be eating turkey and reading it at this rate.

I may have missed this question, and sorry if I did. I just want to know what is the correct reading order for Unicron 6, Lost Light 25 and Optimus Prime 25?

News Credits: 656 · Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:25 am

TreyTable wrote:
ScottyP wrote:The Diamond hammer falls with OP 25 being pushed to 11/7. Might be eating turkey and reading it at this rate.

I may have missed this question, and sorry if I did. I just want to know what is the correct reading order for Unicron 6, Lost Light 25 and Optimus Prime 25?

In-universe chronology: Unicron 6, Optimus Prime 25 (presumably, we'll find out soon), Lost Light 25

Publication order: Lost Light 25, Unicron 6, Optimus Prime 25. They seemed intent on this order of publication, but if going this route be aware LL 25 does spoil the overall outcome of Unicron 6.

News Credits: 340 · Fri May 10, 2019 3:20 am

Honestly I'm not positive where else to post this but I think it fits well enough...

I got the Humble Bundle IDW package last month for my birthday. I just now finished Optimus Prime #25. I look to my left and I see about 25 short boxes full of comics. Superhero comics galore, horror comics, and of course, tons of Transformers comics. I have almost the full G1 run and bought the G2 run when it came out back in the day. Outside of the pack in comics that came with the Thrilling 30's I never took the full plunge into IDW. I'd always read the news blurbs and summaries on TFWiki, pshh, like all the time. It was great stuff I loved what they were doing.

Now that I have digested it all from Infiltration on...I'm wowed. As much as Avengers got me misty recently (no spoilers!) Lost Light just killed me. Transformers are really my favorite...hobby, pastime, stuff to day dream about, waste of money, best use of money, just all that cool childhood mojo that gives you that genuine true smile. IDW summed it all up for me.

For all the iterations of these characters I've ever come to know, these are my favorites. I just had to post to my fellow Cybertronians and Seibertronians- if you missed the deal and see it again, do it. If you can pick collections up, I don't know what to say I loved every one of 'em. I can't say it's a waste of time or money. It has relit something in me that I felt was going out after IDW closed the universe down last year and Power of the Primes closed that trilogy and Stan Lee died...it just felt kind of...grey for a minute there. This all made me laugh and feel and care and hate bad guys and cheer good guys and hate good guys and cheer bad guys - all the things any writer would say is their goal. And to all these writers who worked on all these books, well done, thank you so so much.

Rung Lives!

Mon May 20, 2019 2:09 pm

The IDW comics were so much better than I think the larger comic community ever gave them credit for.
I'm just starting to read them (thanks to comixology unlimited) and it's some of the best storytelling I've read lately.

News Credits: 22 · Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:33 pm

When it comes to TPBs, what order do I read LL volume 4, OP volume 5, and the Unicron TPB in? Is the Unicron story necessary to conclude the story of the OP book?

News Credits: 4877 · Mon Jun 03, 2019 1:40 pm

Rodimus Prime wrote:When it comes to TPBs, what order do I read LL volume 4, OP volume 5, and the Unicron TPB in?

This is tough. The unicron trade really goes from issue to the next, as if nothing else needs to be read, while the Optimus Story does not. It expects you to have read certain issues of the Unicron story in between and also takes place at the same time of some of the Unicron stuff (like paralel). You will have to read part of the trades.

And Lost Light is not related to the unicron story at all.

It's not perfect, but this is what I suggest:

Optimus Prime Annual 2018

Optimus Prime 22

Unicron 0

Unicron 1

Unicron 2

Unicron 3

Unicron 4

Optimus Prime 23

Optimus Prime 24

Unicron 5

Unicron 6

Optimus Prime 25

And then All of Lost Light.

News Credits: 340 · Mon Jun 03, 2019 3:57 pm

Man I don’t know what I would say is required that’s tough but just for me as a completist I wanted it and read it just to know, you know? I wanted to have it read for good or bad. I don’t like being negative but I have to say the brand crossovers just muddled things up and ...bleh. It ....didn’t ruin it? But? Know what I mean?

News Credits: 22 · Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:15 pm

Yeah I know what you mean. I got burned out on both books so I never finished them. I'm doing so now, and I needed advice on the proper order. Thanks Willy J, I'll follow that lineup. All this time I managed to stay away from any spoilers for the Unicron and OP books (I know how LL ends even though I have yet to read it) so hopefully I'll get the most out of the story by reading the right sequence.

News Credits: 340 · Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:19 pm

I was in the same boat - I'd followed along through TFwiki and through the news headlines but to the credit of the writing and the storylines, maybe where they came from more than where they ended up, it still had a lot of punch for me personally. I can get emotionally invested easily if the writing's good I'm just a big softy as is but man, it was still good even knowing some of the twists and turns. I totally wish you all the best and enjoyment in finishing out what I regard as the greatest TF stories told in comics.