The Energon Pub

IDW has updated their preview section with four covers and five pages of the Spotlight: Kup one spot comic. Due to hit comic book shops in April and featuring art by Nick Roche. Roche will not only handle the cover and interior art chores on the book, but he'll make his writing debut on the title as well. To see the five page preview, click here

well we know who's ar that is now...yeowch!

edit:well we know who's arm that is now...yeowch!

Intriguing...

DARK

Looks really Dark. Interesting spin on our usual Transformers adventures...

I can't read it. The text is so small.

Though the text is almost illegible, I still like how the art is presented. It looks like a B-Movie horror flick. Too rad.

I've liked most of the Spotlight issues so far, but I've heard a lot of people complaining about the art style for the Kup issue. Personally, I think it's a breath of fresh air... everyone thought Geoff Senior's art was too gritty and simplistic back in the Marvel days, but now he's reflected upon as one of the best TF artists there was. This is simply a different artistic vision and I think it fits the setting of this story, which like 1337W422102 said, looks to be akin to a B-movie zombie flick.

Plus, the character of Kup has never sucked and has also never been screwed with in such non-linear stuff like ArmEnerTron. He's one of the last remaining pure TF's left!

Ouch. Outback's looked better.

WOw, this will definitely prove to be a different TF story.

Poor Outback, but at least he seems to be de-activated. Poor Kup has gone insane!!! He talks of the crystals almost like they are a drug...

After Spotlight Soundwave, this is kind of a downer for me.

wow. kup finallly lost it

I'm hoping Kup does something crazy and kills all those who are out to get him. You know, attack a vibrosaw to his wrist, saw off his Targetmaster, that kind of stuff. It'd be groovy.

I don't think the art is bad. I think the simplistic design for Kup is based on the fact that most of his armor is gone. He's been fighting for so long that he's stripped down to the rods and gears. The thing I love about Roche is how he can deliver such perfect facial expressions. Exaggerated in a cartoonish style, but never unrealistic. This carries on in this issue, from what I can see.

Me Grimlock love Kup's war stories

If Nick Roche really did this, his artwork's REALLY gone downhill.

Darth Bombshell wrote:If Nick Roche really did this, his artwork's REALLY gone downhill.

Why has his artwork gone downhill? Just because he's attempting a different style? I think it fits the mood of the story. What's wrong with drawing outside of your standard practice and trying something new?

I think the artwork is a breath of fresh air. It's different. If you don't like it, I'll give you your opinion, but to say Nick's art has gone downhill is pretty close-minded.

This is what I was talking about previously. Everyone's harping on Nick's art for this issue. Artists like Don are amazing, but you always know what to expect from them because they never deviate from their style. That's not necessarily bad, but for someone like Nick to take a different approach to his work doesn't mean that he's getting WORSE, ne?

Don't like it, but don't say it's BAD. Just new and different. I applaud him for drawing a TF comic that doesn't look like everything else.

WhiteRabbit wrote:

jgilkinson wrote:Me Grimlock love Kup's war stories

Me too.

Hmm...interesting read, those blogs. I'm beginning to wonder just what's going to happen to old Kup.

I understand what your saying Carcass, but I personally don't like it. Plus, Kup is going around randomly decapitating people with their own arms? (unless I misread that page) That's something Megs would do (and actually did in a cut scene of War Dawn). Think I'll skip this one and wait for Galvatron.

Carcass wrote:What's wrong with drawing outside of your standard practice and trying something new?

Nothing really. It wasn't really meant to be a crack against him. To be honest, I do enjoy the artwork, and I agree with you that it sets the mood of the story (to be fair, it's not like it's the first time I felt that way. I honestly prefer the artwork for Hearts of Steel #3 to the rest of the series, simply cause it suited the title more.)

Carcass wrote:I think the artwork is a breath of fresh air. It's different. If you don't like it, I'll give you your opinion, but to say Nick's art has gone downhill is pretty close-minded.

It's also a rather valid observation, given the rather cartoonish and well done art he supplied to the Shockwave and Hot Rod Spotlights, along with the covers of the Generations series. Compared to those, the artwork here can't really be seen as anything other than a step backward. A tiny step backward, to be sure, but a step backward nonetheless.

Insurgent wrote: Plus, Kup is going around randomly decapitating people with their own arms?

Maybe he's been there so long he's "gone feral" and just attacks anyone he sees as an outsider & threat? Maybe there isn't much energon on the planet so he killed the stranger to ensure there was enough for himself? Who knows?

Talon523 wrote:I can't read it. The text is so small.

For those who are having a hard time making out the word bubbles & boxes (and I don't blame you), I give you this:

page 1 preview - "Suh-salvation!"

pg. 2 - "Friend... Friend? My ship... I crash..." --> "...You help?"

Last thing I need is another set of eyes staring into my soul.

pg. 3 - Another day in this place. Another day in the land of two suns. Another day among the crystals -- my crystals. Sweetly singin' their tune to me.

Can you hear it? Maybe you can't. Maybe the music's private. Meant for me and me only.

Yeah. I'd like to think that.

How long have I been here? I can't answer that. I mean -- I'd like to. I really would. I've tried to figure it out. But my brain just wants me to listen to the crystals, and I'm happy with that.

'Sides, any sense a' time I had died when our hope for rescue did.

I'm old. Real old. Used ta be that my age was against me, but not since I got here. Not since our ship crashed n' splashed in the same lake I tossed that interloper's head into...

Who was he? What was he? One a' them? Maybe they've changed appearance? Or maybe it's some new fiend sent to test me?

Naw. Gotta be one a' them. Has to be.

They never used to come out in the day, though, when the suns are out, and the crystals are singin' their loudest.

Never used to show when I was online before... Only when I drifted... Only at night...

It's not night time now, so enjoy the light. Enjoy the way the suns' rays play on the skin a' these livin' gemstones.

The fear and paranoia's just liftin' offa' me.

It's this place. This world, these crystals. I know life is worth livin' cos' they sing me so.

And one day soon, they're gonna sing me a solution to all my problems.

pg. 4 - N/A

pg. 5 - Learned the hard way to respect these beauties, though. Yep, back when we first got here. Back when findin' our way home seemed like an option, we decided to build us a transmitter.

Dragged a whole lotta junk up from our crashed ship, got set up on this spot, and started to cobble[?] together something to send a signal.

Thing is, though, our little homemade generator went into meltdown, and, well...

That's how we nearly lost ol' Outback.

That showed me to respect the crystals' power, I can tell ya. Taught me the hard way that blasters an' energy weapons just can't be used in this place...

"That's right, buddy. Suns're droppin' fast now."

...No matter what this planet throws at me come night time.

"Ha! Yeah, good one, buddy!"

He's a good kid, that Outback. Always willing to give a hand.

Good ol' Outback.
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Not sure if all of the above is correct, but I hope it helps.

It seems like Kup has dementia from the preview.

Senile and violent will always be interesting.