Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

As has become the norm, iTunes has posted an early three page preview for Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Ongoing #19. Check out the sneak peek mirrored below:

BETRAYAL! The Lost Light may be occupied by enemy forces, but that’s the least of RODIMUS’ problems! As he awaits execution, the one-time Matrix holder realizes how little he knows about the people he once called friends. Is there anyone left he can trust? And where does the legendary STAR SABER fit into all this?

"I was not the first Ultra Magnus..."

So I take it when we saw UM "die" those times before, the bot under the armor actually did indeed die, and someone else took up the UM name/armor?

James Roberts is systematically destroying one of my all-time favorite Autobots. I mean, first he was just kinda lame in this series. Now he's...something.

I just miss his badass days back in Furman's run.

I guess I feel like he went from a badass during the Expansion crisis to being more of an "Adrien Monk of Comedic Purposes". As Tyrest said: he used to command respect; no he's just ridiculous.

*sigh*. Sorry. I suppose Robert's is succeeding at making me emotional, though. So kudos to that.

Nemesis Maximo wrote:James Roberts is systematically destroying one of my all-time favorite Autobots. I mean, first he was just kinda lame in this series. Now he's...something.

I just miss his badass days back in Furman's run.

I guess I feel like he went from a badass during the Expansion crisis to being more of an "Adrien Monk of Comedic Purposes". As Tyrest said: he used to command respect; no he's just ridiculous.

*sigh*. Sorry. I suppose Robert's is succeeding at making me emotional, though. So kudos to that.

Admittedly I never like UM so I don't really care what he does with him. I hear what you're saying though. I find it funny that Roberts is poking fun at that very fact. It actually makes me somewhat care for UM. then again, if a character makes me laugh I usually like them a lot.

What the hell? I'm not sure if I want to throw my hands up in rage or stir with nervous anticipation for Wednesday!?

And what's with that wacky moustache? Is he on a safari in 1914 Africa?

Nemesis Maximo wrote:James Roberts is systematically destroying one of my all-time favorite Autobots. I mean, first he was just kinda lame in this series. Now he's...something.

"I wasn't the first Ultra Magnus"

My favorite TF character isn't a character but just a name of a power suit that use by different people. Unbelievable and disappointment! Now I can be done reading IDW Comic and save the money for TF figures.

YES! Star Saber! The most kickass Autobot of all time!

"MTMTE" is my favorite TFs comic book series. Roberts has done an exceptional job of weaving creativity, humor, & TFs history.

"RID," OTOH,...

REMINATOR wrote:My favorite TF character isn't a character but just a name of a power suit that use by different people.

Not necessarily... Ultra Magnus has always been reamed for being a poor man's Optimus Prime - what if they go all the way with it? What if he was an attempt by Tyrest to reproduce the idea of the Prime, with the memories of each successive Magnus being accumulated over time?

That would explain his high level of skill (combined repertoire of a line of individuals), and Ultra Magnus would still be an independent, unique character in a way.

I think it's kind of neat.

It also opens another door and a whole new line of 'what next?'

Ambus said he was a criminal right who'd been nailed by Ultra Magnus, right? And then we might presume he assumed the mantle of Ultra Magnus to serve his sentence, like the Arbiter in Halo.

So, with a whole passel of characters that Tyrest considers 'criminals' in his possession, could it be that one of the other regulars is going to assume the mantle of the Magnus?

Could Tailgate get a new lease on life?

Could Chromedome be looking for an opportunity to put his old life behind him, without erasing his memories?

Drift could come bouncing through the door still, to create a very strange Magnus revamp...

But my money is on Skids. He's got the bravado, the intelligence, the combat skills, the foreshadowing paint scheme, and Tyrest has wanted him badly for some time.

As much as I like the anal rententive high-strung, overwhelmed Ultra Magnus, because I kind of empathize with him, Skids could become the sort of Ultra Magnus that you think of when you think of him at his most epic.



My only real complaint here is - how did Ratchet and the other docs not notice this when performing surgery on him????

Can't wait to see how this plays out. Not only are these the best TF comics out there, it's the best COMIC out there and the best TF fiction ever.

I like that Roberts was obviously inspired by the original UM toy being essentially a power up suit for the OP figure. Not sure how I feel about that idea for the character, but it's all in the execution and Roberts and Milne know how to execute.

Evert TF fan worth his/her salt should be supporting this book.

Wears a distinctive mustache, AND uses a powered suit?

Ultra Magnus Mark II, anyone?

But I would like to see Ambus find and redeem himself by the end of this story, so when he dons the armor again, he can say, "I wasn't the first Ultra Magnus, but I AM Ultra Magnus." (cue kicking Tyrest's tailpipe)

The Variable wrote:Wears a distinctive mustache, AND uses a powered suit?

Ultra Magnus Mark II, anyone?

Or if you prefer:

LOVE the focus group one.

...and suddenly the script for my still-seeking-an-artist Ultra Magnus origin "Mosaic" is canon. Whoa.

EDIT: Oooo...hang on...I see something potentially awesome concerning one of my favorite characters in this comic coming out of this revelation...too soon to say, will go back to lurking in the shadows for now...

It's fun to see Roberts poke fun at the criticism that readers have made of the character, and it's not the first time this happens in IDW.

These are also the same pages we saw from BotCon, so not too much spoiled on top of that, and the first panels are unusually silent again, like in Spotlight: Hoist. Hm.


Really surprised at the amount of comments this preview is getting compared to all the other comics news we put out! Good!

Wow... Killing off a character is one thing, but this... Is totally something else.. Good or bad.. Idk..
Mtmte is my favourite transformers series, so i really hope this doesnt ruin that..

I love me some Star Saber!

The optimism is strong with me when I say this, but I really hope they announce a Generations Star Saber at SDCC in a few days.

Mindmaster wrote:I love me some Star Saber!

The optimism is strong with me when I say this, but I really hope they announce a Generations Star Saber at SDCC in a few days.

I'd be surprised if that happens before some of the other running characters. Though, having said that, the Voyagers so far are minor cast members.

Someone on IDW has pointed out how Star Saber might be the new Tyrest enforcer. Ideas?

Va'al wrote:Someone on IDW has pointed out how Star Saber might be the new Tyrest enforcer. Ideas?

Minimums Ambus needs to find redemption. Instead of simply becoming Tyrest's stooge again, he gets a new set of armor and a new lease on life as...

Star Saber!

Just a theory.

I don't think that can work, though.

Star Saber has already appeared while Rodimus and Ambus are talking in the cell.

Va'al wrote:I don't think that can work, though.

Star Saber has already appeared while Rodimus and Ambus are talking in the cell.

Hmm...that'd put a damper on my theory now, eh?

Nemesis Maximo wrote:

Va'al wrote:I don't think that can work, though.

Star Saber has already appeared while Rodimus and Ambus are talking in the cell.

Hmm...that'd put a damper on my theory now, eh?

A little bit, maybe.

Did no one else notice that when they show Ultra Magnus' spark it a green .01% one? So Minimus Ambus, tiny little mustached nobody, the Luigi to his brother Dominus' Mario, has a super spark? Doesn't that seem odd?

The Point One Percenters are supposed to be the large warriors by nature. Your, to quote Prowl, "Optimus, Grimlock, Megatron. Fortress Maximus on a good day." Not your supersoldier serum created Phase Sixers, but your powerful bots. Your leaders. But tiny little Minimus has one? That doesn't add up.

Rung is allegedly a 0.1%, or at least speculatively so.
(If we interpret issue 3's 'brightest spark' in this way.)