Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

primalxconvoy wrote:Please could you move the watermark away from the text bubbles? It's a bit hard to read the "full preview" with "Seibertron.com" plastered all over the text at the top of each page.

Cheers.

Afraid not, at this point. Still trying to work it out so it doesn't overlap, but sometimes this happens. Sorry. :/


The only speechbubble that is new and partially covered, as far as I can tell (taking into consideration the iTunes preview too) is the one with Springer and Arcee. And that one says: 'Have I been out of it that long that...'

If it's the Optimus panels you're looking at, on the other hand: 'It all added up, all your predictions and projections...'
'The threat of the Decepticons has been removed'

Va'al wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:Please could you move the watermark away from the text bubbles? It's a bit hard to read the "full preview" with "Seibertron.com" plastered all over the text at the top of each page.

Cheers.

Afraid not, at this point. Still trying to work it out so it doesn't overlap, but sometimes this happens. Sorry. :/


The only speechbubble that is new and partially covered, as far as I can tell (taking into consideration the iTunes preview too) is the one with Springer and Arcee. And that one says: 'Have I been out of it that long that...'

If it's the Optimus panels you're looking at, on the other hand: 'It all added up, all your predictions and projections...'
'The threat of the Decepticons has been removed'

Cheers. Perhaps a link, to the original (perhaps with "non-watermarked version here!") Could be given?

Failing that, are there other options, like:

- manually designating the watermark position?
- changing the opacity to a fainter version?
- using an invisible (but detectable) watermark?

Thanks for your help.

primalxconvoy wrote:

Va'al wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:Please could you move the watermark away from the text bubbles? It's a bit hard to read the "full preview" with "Seibertron.com" plastered all over the text at the top of each page.

Cheers.

Afraid not, at this point. Still trying to work it out so it doesn't overlap, but sometimes this happens. Sorry. :/


The only speechbubble that is new and partially covered, as far as I can tell (taking into consideration the iTunes preview too) is the one with Springer and Arcee. And that one says: 'Have I been out of it that long that...'

If it's the Optimus panels you're looking at, on the other hand: 'It all added up, all your predictions and projections...'
'The threat of the Decepticons has been removed'

Cheers. Perhaps a link, to the original (perhaps with "non-watermarked version here!") Could be given?

Failing that, are there other options, like:

- manually designating the watermark position?
- changing the opacity to a fainter version?
- using an invisible (but detectable) watermark?

Thanks for your help.

Yep, all of those are being considered already, but thanks for the tips.

As for the link, we get the pages directly from IDW - though Newsarama posts theirs first (because exclusives and money deals). I thought I had included a link to their page too...

Va'al wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:

Va'al wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:Please could you move the watermark away from the text bubbles? It's a bit hard to read the "full preview" with "Seibertron.com" plastered all over the text at the top of each page.

Cheers.

Afraid not, at this point. Still trying to work it out so it doesn't overlap, but sometimes this happens. Sorry. :/


The only speechbubble that is new and partially covered, as far as I can tell (taking into consideration the iTunes preview too) is the one with Springer and Arcee. And that one says: 'Have I been out of it that long that...'

If it's the Optimus panels you're looking at, on the other hand: 'It all added up, all your predictions and projections...'
'The threat of the Decepticons has been removed'

Cheers. Perhaps a link, to the original (perhaps with "non-watermarked version here!") Could be given?

Failing that, are there other options, like:

- manually designating the watermark position?
- changing the opacity to a fainter version?
- using an invisible (but detectable) watermark?

Thanks for your help.

Yep, all of those are being considered already, but thanks for the tips.

As for the link, we get the pages directly from IDW - though Newsarama posts theirs first (because exclusives and money deals). I thought I had included a link to their page too...

You might have, but I usually access websites on my smartphone, so it's hard to see around this site. To be honest, with this comic, I just went to another site. You know, the one with a year in its name...

Sorry. I hope Seibertron can become a little more mobile friendly in its design in the future. It's still an important site to visit in order to get all of the latest news.

primalxconvoy wrote:You might have, but I usually access websites on my smartphone, so it's hard to see around this site. To be honest, with this comic, I just went to another site. You know, the one with a year in its name...

Sorry. I hope Seibertron can become a little more mobile friendly in its design in the future. It's still an important site to visit in order to get all of the latest news.

We are indeed working towards full mobile-compatibility and friendliness, it's one of the major priorities on the to-do list behind the scenes. It's good to still have people like you who dabble in a number of sites too, to get a range of perspectives. So thanks, again!

Va'al wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:You might have, but I usually access websites on my smartphone, so it's hard to see around this site. To be honest, with this comic, I just went to another site. You know, the one with a year in its name...

Sorry. I hope Seibertron can become a little more mobile friendly in its design in the future. It's still an important site to visit in order to get all of the latest news.

We are indeed working towards full mobile-compatibility and friendliness, it's one of the major priorities on the to-do list behind the scenes. It's good to still have people like you who dabble in a number of sites too, to get a range of perspectives. So thanks, again!

You're welcome. One good thing about this site, is that the comments for each story, are the LATEST comments, and are usually specific to each story. The "other" site seems to blend related threats together and post the FIRST comments, so that any new stories have unrelated or irrelevant comments beneath them.

Anyway, back on topic; it seems that the "spider" clips be Tarantulus? The White rabbit, like the whale on the cover, seemed to be red-eyed slaves to him? That, or it's Stampy and Orca?

Ego much, Prowl?

bluecatcinema wrote:Ego much, Prowl?

Uh, yeah.. Since like, 2005.

Tarantulas driving animals batcrapped insane. The cover is beginning to make much more sense now...

Wonder what this has in store for Prowl? Sounds like his head is about to be played like a fiddle

CombaticonsCombine? wrote:Also, Arcee is a bitch.
Pardon the mild language, but she seriously just needs to shut up.
I get the resentment towards Springer, sure, but she needs to RE-learn
how to actually trust people.

Eh, her actions seem standard for a hardass character in a high-stakes situation (remember, Verity's info could reignite the war if misused). Entirely fitting for the hardass archetype to disregard the opinion of someone who's nearly a decade behind current events due to coma.

CombaticonsCombine? wrote:Or how to talk to an obviously unhealthy human adolescent.

She's nearly 30.

Issue #2 is out and it is a blast. So many BW characters! Polar Claw, Stampy, Claw Jaw, and Cybershark all make appearances. Tidal Wave from Armada makes an appearance, but as a whale rather than an ship. I am surprised they didn't keep with the BW theme and make it Orcanoch. The only other non-BA reference is Carnivac, the G1 Pretender Beast, makes an appearance in wolf mode. He could probably have been done using Wolfang.

Oh, and Mesothulas is obviously Tarantulas. I like that they are making a lot of BW characters in this. They even make a good story as to why they chose animal modes. Overall, great issue. Can't wait for the next one.

Synopsis
FROSTY RECEPTION! THE WRECKERS journey to Nome, Alaska to track down the number one suspect in PROWL’s disappearance—their former human ally, VERITY CARLO!



Story

The holiday period has brought the second chapter in this new, updated Wreckers story, which deals with the old, outdated motives and reasoning of the Wreckers - and all the terrible terrible things they did at some point. Oh, and somehow Prowl - of course - is involved too. How does the story hold up?



The Noisemaze and Prowl's mind are explored a little further, as Nick Roche digs into the four-letter-P-word's ego and dreams (no electric sheep, unless they're in perfect, precise order), but despite the creepiness of off-panel Tarantulas Mesothulas, we're not looking at the core of the issue just yet. Though we also are, in another way. It's complicated, okay?



From the preview shown, there is nothing I want to say here that might spoil the enjoyment of the various reveals along the way, as the Chimeracons are a bit of a treat and a half, drawing from a range of sources close to Roche's enjoyment as a consumer of Transformers fiction - and it really shows in the rationale behind their presence here, too.



I am not entirely convinced at how some of the established characters are being used by Roche, especially in the case of Arcee - who while still has all the possible valid reasons to be suspicious of practically everyone involved in the book, still manages to have a ..peculiar exchange with Springer much later in the book. I may just be reading it the wrong way, however, so don't hold me to that.


Art

Roche is definitely having fun, balancing his writing with the attention he pays to his art. Again, there are many many spoilers that would come out of spending too much time on what he does with the design of a number of characters across the issue, but the action is nicely fluid, dynamic and hopping off the page with organic vitality.



Josh Burcham, additionally, plays with the sudden shifts of setting, both interior and internal, past and present, through flashbacks, PTSD-esque scenes and panels focused on Springer and Kup, and some seriously vibrant and slightly disturbing colours in eye-shades, Energon spillages, and.. yeah. Alaska and the team's past are very different palettes. Very.



In Tom B. Long's lettering work, we find the new cast of characters find their own voices, as shown in Mesothulas's scenes, the heightened scenes with some of the characters, and a smattering of SHEEEEAAAGGGHs across the book, too. On the cover front, we have a similar selection to issue 1, Roche and Burcham bring Stakeout close to the action, guest Stephen Mooney with Burcham show the still misfitting Arcee, and Andrew Griffith also teams up with Burcham for another LSTOW-centric variant (thumbnailed).


Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

As you've seen until now, there is a lot in this issue which I really do not want to talk about too openly in a review, giving a chance to readers to appreciate in their own time and on their own reading - but, that said, if you're a fan of Beast Wars in any of its incarnations, and even some Armada, why not, you may just want to pick this up for the smug smirk factor.



The story is proceeding with enough mystery and dangling threads that it feels it could very much head *anywhere* from here. It also is a fairly dense read, with some seriously serious moments underpinned by dark, bleak humour, especially in the over-bulked shape of Guzzle, and confirms some of what Roche was saying in terms of LSTOW being a super-edit - there is a lot going on here, take your time, it's very much worth it.

So what happened to Stakeout? Did he die? I need to know these things!

Well it's nice to see Carnivac again but then it's an IDW version that differs greatly from the G1 character I'm very fond of so just cos he's called that and is a wolf doesn't mean I'm going to automatically be a fan. Though was nice seeing a version of him and a version of Springer in same story again after all these years.

Yeah I found the Arcee bit odd too. She's a bit with the bitchy and then it's like she's coming on to Springer later on. Women...

Anyways it's ok. I still get put off by a lot of the faces (I just don't like how Roche draws most of them, don't get why Springer has such a pudgy squishy looking nose either) but it's not bad.

Carnivius_Prime wrote:Yeah I found the Arcee bit odd too. She's a bit with the bitchy and then it's like she's coming on to Springer later on. Women...

Try to show a bit more class, mate. Anyways, after her comment about Springer's eyes - "It's hard not to notice that you - all of you - the worse things have gotten, the more... engaged you seem." Looks like it ties into an observation about all the Wreckers, not just Springer.

RevTibe wrote:

Carnivius_Prime wrote:Yeah I found the Arcee bit odd too. She's a bit with the bitchy and then it's like she's coming on to Springer later on. Women...

Try to show a bit more class, mate.

Was meant to be a lil snarky joke on the characterization of many female characters in mostly male-centric comic books and the rather unlikable portrayal of IDW's Arcee but yeah sorry. I'll shush now.

The dialog in this was... difficult... too many -heh- unnecessary breaks a- and pauses.
Seriously though, it was like he wrote each characters' dialogue separately, for a couple panels Springer and Arcee are arguing, while on the same panel verity is talking about something completely different. I found myself rereading pages just to follow the story. I think that's why so many people were confused with Arcee commenting on Springer's eyes. It just wasn't well written.
The art was fun though! (except that guzzle scene... gross)

Here's some stuff between me and Roche.

LE0KING wrote:The art was fun though! (except that guzzle scene... gross)

Guzzle is really not well. At all.

I thought this was a much better issue than the first. I did like the first, but I guess where it was setting the scene it was always going to be a slow burner. I'll admit that a large part of it was me expecting it to be something it was never going to be. I initially hoped the first issue would be a little more bombastic and visceral, much like LSotW was, but it's clear that Roche is going for a darker story here. It jarred me slightly as I didn't expect the slower pace and gritty visuals, but I'm seeing the merits of it now.

I've really enjoyed IDW's post-war Transformers, and Roche is building upon the themes that Barber and Roberts have handled so well. The emotional fallout of the war, soldiers bred for killing that have had to reintegrate into society, outcasts given a chance for retribution and redemption. This issue explored these themes - Carnivac's dialogue, Springer's PTSD, Roadbuster defaulting back to hostility to get answers, Kup's regret after the realisation of what he had done. Even the brutal scene with Guzzle effectively drinking the 'blood' of his victim just shows how f***ed up these individuals have become as a result of the things they've gone through.

I liked the reveal of the 'Chimeracons', amsuing since I thought nothing of the animals in the first issue. I wasn't ever a Beast Wars fan but I did like their inclusion, nice to see more characters drafted into the IDW family.

There are still plenty unanswered questions - Verity's clearly not right, perhaps dying. Hubcap just seems off to me, I think there's more to him. Prowl's captor is pretty obvious and I doubt there's going to be a curveball there, but it's the why that's making me wonder more than the who.

I know some people aren't big on the artwork, but it works for me. Admittedly, I had to warm up to it, but now we're a couple of issues in I do appreciate the gritty, dark style that Roche brings.

After the first issue I wasn't pumped or excited for #2, but I can now say that Roche has piqued my interests and I'm intrigued to see where he's taking this.

Carnivius_Prime wrote:

RevTibe wrote:

Carnivius_Prime wrote:Yeah I found the Arcee bit odd too. She's a bit with the bitchy and then it's like she's coming on to Springer later on. Women...

Try to show a bit more class, mate.

Was meant to be a lil snarky joke on the characterization of many female characters in mostly male-centric comic books and the rather unlikable portrayal of IDW's Arcee but yeah sorry. I'll shush now.

Oh, gotcha (guess this is a consequence of text communication). Personally, I think Arcee's actions here work well enough w/ the context and her characterization to not be out of place, but that's certainly a matter of taste.

Personally, I'm just sitting here chanting "please don't kill Claw Jaw, please don't kill Claw Jaw, please don't kill Claw Jaw,".

Va'al: Thanks for mentioning the eyes thing to Roche, I forgot how accessible comics writers/artists are these days!

ProfessorParis wrote:Stampy???

Golly ge wiz, he was right. awesome beast wars stuff here.

Guzzle needs help. Fast. and now.

I like the bleak tone that this establishes, and I love how the colors are very unsaturated, as if they played with the story's grey morality.

RevTibe wrote:Personally, I'm just sitting here chanting "please don't kill Claw Jaw, please don't kill Claw Jaw, please don't kill Claw Jaw,".

THIS, SO MUCH THIS! Claw Jaw was my very first Transformer, so the moment I saw a squid, I squealed out loud thinking "OH MY GOD, COULD IT BE?!?"
So please, Nick, be gentle

I like the bleak tone that this establishes, and I love how the colors are very unsaturated, as if they played with the story's grey morality.

RevTibe wrote:Personally, I'm just sitting here chanting "please don't kill Claw Jaw, please don't kill Claw Jaw, please don't kill Claw Jaw,".

THIS, SO MUCH THIS! Claw Jaw was my very first Transformer, so the moment I saw a squid, I squealed out loud thinking "OH MY GOD, COULD IT BE?!?"
So please, Nick, be gentle

I kinda get a vibe that Roadbuster or Guzzle are going to do something awful in addition to their current beating/eating the subdued, "Sins of the Wreckers" and all, and there's Claw Jaw sitting around as a defenseless prisoner, wouldn't that be a nice callback to the execution of Squadron X in Last Stand...