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[Rodimus Prime]

Question: do the duplicate crew know that they're a duplicate? I mean, it doesn't make them any less real, but do they have the memories they had before the quantum jump? This may have been explained previously, and just don't remember it.

I forgot to mention this last time, but I was glad to see the Protectobots alive and well.

[ZeroWolf]

I liked Autobot Megatron at the time but have grown to dislike it and the entire IDW Origin of Megatron.

Out of curiosity, why don't you like the IDW origin of him? I think it's fantastic and shows his good intentions twisted. He's much more three dimensional then any other megs we've seen.

[william-james88]

I liked Autobot Megatron at the time but have grown to dislike it and the entire IDW Origin of Megatron.

Out of curiosity, why don't you like the IDW origin of him? I think it's fantastic and shows his good intentions twisted. He's much more three dimensional then any other megs we've seen.

I like it but I feel we are still missing a major gap in between him wanting liberation and then thinking that peace could only be achieved through tyranny.

[skyshadowprimus]

"We achieved something" Yeah, turning a beloved franchise into an SJW circle jerk. Good. Riddance.

I come onto the forums to read others opinions and post my own (long time member but posting much less of late) and see this as the first post to sum up the final issue and the series as a whole.

I have to say I find myself thinking the same, even if I am trying to be more forgiving.

The book had some good high points and some very good plot twists but what attracted me to Transformers as a child and good comic books overall is a science fiction themed action adventure plot but by the end of this book it has turned into something akin to Sex and The City or Friends being left wing hippy sitcom with all sense of gravitas about the characters removed with lovely touchy feely writing that just doesn't leave me feeling connected or bothered about the characters.

I am not saying this book did not have a place for such stuff but it ended up taking over the whole book and if you compare the current plot to say something like Marvel's Edge of Extinction with Unicron, this just doesn't generate the same compelling read as it reads as all a joke with some stupid comment being made, in much the same way if something serious was to happen in an episode of Friends, you would not be upset but rather waiting for the next laugh which in turns cheapens the emotional message.

On a bit of different note looking back at Lost Light as a whole, this title is where it really feels that Roberts lost it and used the book as his own personal soapbox ahead of delivering quality writing, especially when compared to MTMTE in it's early days. The political and social references were as subtle as some ageing slag off the old kent road. It is the prerogative of a writer to weave in his own agenda to whatever narrative he writes, a better and wiser writer makes such things subtle and there to see to those in the know, but when you are counting the number of real life references throughout a single issue that are delivered in a derogatory and patronising way with the impression given that "I the writer do not agree with this and thus anyone who does is clearly uneducated and/or a bigot" it comes across as puerile and nothing more than virtue signalling.

Please do get me wrong in thinking I did not enjoy the book for the most part nor that I disagree with putting subtle messages in the stories, I did enjoy the book and enjoy seeing world references, but when these appear to be all that is being published with the story just being a convenient delivery method it takes away any enjoyment of the fiction element of the book, as let's be honest this is why we all read it no?

Something we may never find out is if Roberts is a 1 trick pony in the same way that many writers are, Furman likes big apocalypse settings with myriad interwoven mythos and stories before killing everyone. Roberts weakness was for set ups with cliches and twists (some very good) and then plot devices that undo everyone he ever kills, the result being you can see the same events happening again and again.

The book was good and overall I think has had the best run and reception of ANY Transformers title for the entire run but I also feel that it could have been so much more so yes while I am sad this title has ended it totally feels right that we end rather than dragging out the death for another 5 years and lose all of the readership.

[william-james88]

I truly think that anything James Roberts has had a hand in (aside from Dark Cybertron) is the best Transformers fiction we have ever gotten, period. It was fun, with new scenarios but yet with all the duality and oposing sides we want. I know it sounds sacriligious, but I much preffer the writing to Simon Furman's. That said, I did feel that certan things were out of place, when looking at the bigger picture. I didnt care for Lug and Anode, at all. I didnt need more time spent with them, especially at the expense of other characters. And those two seem like obvious poster children for gender related issues. It was just too much in your face with those two with a lot of time dedicated to them and their gender issues with no relation to the story nor any plot development. So I can see where some people can get annoyed. But then again, growing up in an accepting society means a lot of messages feel forced since I have already accepted everything being presented.
We can compare that to Chromedome and Rewind and its like night and day. We get great character development there, fueling amazing stories with an emotional core.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Been giving the ending some thoughts, and it's kinda hard to think about it. I'm kinda really bummed about how it's split between the "present" with regards to Earth, and the future with all these characters having sort of suffered really. There is new Cybertronian life, but only those living here beforehand and those from the Lost Light live here. That is kinda hard to take.

I was hoping for something more upbeat and fun for an ending, not a class reunion brought about by a death where everything is said in conversation. It feels a bit weak.

I feel bummed about not knowing if Megs is forever imprisoned or dead though. He was a major highlight, and his Autobot self was the best overall thing about Season 2 of MTMTE into LL. I will miss that Megatron.

I did really like the quantum duplicate trick though, along with Perceptor and Brainstorm sharing that moment. That was the best part of the issue for me, knowing that their adventures will forever continue, and it will not truly end.

[ZeroWolf]

The quantum trick...how many times could that be pulled off? Is James setting up a miniseries in a few years time where the characters are living peacefully till an armada of lost lights come home?

[D-Maximal_Primal]

The quantum trick...how many times could that be pulled off? Is James setting up a miniseries in a few years time where the characters are living peacefully till an armada of lost lights come home?

It was pulled off once, but in reality, this is a case where there could be an infinite number that will never run into each other and thus cancel one out, so people can make their own futures for the crew that last as long as they want.

It's really clever really, and I love it.

[Flashwave]

The quantum trick...how many times could that be pulled off? Is James setting up a miniseries in a few years time where the characters are living peacefully till an armada of lost lights come home?

It was pulled off once, but in reality, this is a case where there could be an infinite number that will never run into each other and thus cancel one out, so people can make their own futures for the crew that last as long as they want.

It's really clever really, and I love it.

If I remember right, back in the first couple of issues of the book they mentioned that with a jump went through there was a significant drain on fuel resources. I'm not sure if it was stated to be 50% or not, but in theory the number of times they could jump could be limited to the number of times that the fuel supply could be halved and still have the engine run.

[Sagitta]

Question: do the duplicate crew know that they're a duplicate? I mean, it doesn't make them any less real, but do they have the memories they had before the quantum jump? This may have been explained previously, and just don't remember it.

I forgot to mention this last time, but I was glad to see the Protectobots alive and well.

I seem to recall back in the "The Path Not Taken" arc when Nautica worked out the mystery of the 2 Lost Lights she mentioned one was as real as they other. So up until the actual point of the jump both sets of characters would hold the same type of memories.

From what Rewind, from the other Lost Light, and what Nightbeat mentioned it sounded like everything was the exact same until the jump was initiated. Two Lost Lights, same backgrounds, sane crews, separate experiences.

[Sagitta]

I'll just throw out there that this is the one comic I read full series. The one I bought every issue for. Not always the day they came out - there were some dry spells there in the run - but no other comics have been able to maintain that suspense and interest for me...

While not buying every issue of MtMtE/LL it was the only series of the IDW Transformers universe I invested in as well -- post Ongoing & its predecessors of course. (Some of the Spotlights and the Wrecker's trilogy includes.) I also liked the way how, for the most part, it was separate from the rest of the Transformers storyline. Tie-ins can get costly. And The entire Revolution introduction left aa rather bad taste in my mouth.

It did have some things I can't agree with and found rather illogical (in or out of the context of the content. But went over that elsewhere here on the boards and to do so again would be beating a dead horse,) But for the most part loved the stories as well as the interactions of the characters.

Some of my favorite issues are from MtMtE:

#6 -- Loved how Max answers Rung's question regarding if he remembered G9. "Of course I know. Everybody knows. Even Tailgate. And someone had to draw him a picture of Optimus Prime the other day."
-- also loved the scene in the book when Max breaks down after Rewind throws him off with his projection. -That- was classic, Rung.

The Shadowplay trilogy was another favorite of mine.

#40 -- Ratchet finally goes off in search of Drift. Not to mention how Ratchet reaches out to Ten and sees there's "Much More Than Meets the Eye". (Yeah...I know. *groan*)

#45 & # 46 -- Shows how the Scavangers are in the midst of growing as a team. As well developing past the idea they're all in it for themselves.
(Finding the roboids having a distinct like Max was cute too.)

Also enjoyed issues #48 & #49 between Rung's "reunion" with his rival as well as how Skid's past was explored. Man, was Sundar rather...disturbing!

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Thanks to a multitude of sources, we have word that the ending of IDW's Transformers: Lost Light has garnered some major attention.

BBC News, a fairly well known news outlet, has published a story about Lost Light and how it broke down so many barriers in the Transformers fandom, particularly the gender barrier. In the article, much is discussed related to how the representation of women attending Transformers conventions and getting involved in the fandom has grown massively in the past few years, and More Than Meets The Eye / Lost Light has been the reason for much of this change.

The article of course features James Roberts, the writer behind MTMTE/LL, and he talks about how is comic was meant to be something completely different, something new, and based on the critical acclaim and the fandom's response to the many years of Robert's ongoing, it has been a success.

You can check out some sections of the article below, and follow the above link to read the whole story!

ransformers started out as a boy's toy. The robot characters, which could be quickly reconfigured into guns and cars - tapped into the young male zeitgeist of 1984.

Those children have grown into today's adult collectors. But thanks to a cult comic, the franchise's male-dominated audience has crossed the gender divide.

At Europe's largest Transformers convention this year, TFNation, women accounted for almost half of attendees aged 21 to 31. It caps a three-year trend in which female attendance grew by a third. Taking the credit is the comic Lost Light.

.....

Responsible for much of this is the comic's author, James Roberts, who penned all 80-odd issues.

Although the stories are infused with a British sci-fi humour - BBC TV comedy Red Dwarf was a major influence - his ambition for the publication, which tackled topics such as same-sex relationships, freedom and self-determination, was "unashamedly political".

"Misfits and also-rans, in an enclosed space with a pitch-able quest - it's a good way into a story," says Roberts. "This is the difference between American and British sci-fi and comics, and TV shows like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the new Doctor Who - their love of language, puns, banter.

"You can get away with more swear words if they're British."

.....

The publisher wanted the comic "to speak to Transformers fans and beyond," he says.

Roberts was given the freedom to look beyond the A-list of characters. And with that came the opportunity to take more chances.

An initial positive reception emboldened Roberts, leading to his favourite moment - issue 16, the "declaration of love" between two same-sex Transformers characters, Chromedome and Rewind. It was "a first".

"In the nicest possible way, it became normalised. The world didn't come to an end. That reaction gave me and others the confidence to tell more stories like this," says Roberts.

There was some concern about what Hasbro, a toy maker with a long history and a wholesome, family-friendly image, would make of this turn of events. But head office appeared remarkably unruffled, says John Barber, Lost Light's publisher.

"The company's vice-president of global publishing said something to the effect of: 'I asked you guys to make the characters human and you have'," recalls Barber.

[Coptur]

And where's the BBC article about the boys/men that love MLP? oh right they did't get one they just get mocked and under represented within MLP.

James is a nice guy in person but LL was part of the reason I turned away from IDW comics.

[ZeroWolf]

And where's the BBC article about the boys/men that love MLP? oh right they did't get one they just get mocked and under represented within MLP.

James is a nice guy in person but LL was part of the reason I turned away from IDW comics.

To be fair, mlp didn't have a long running comic that's ending, hence the article.

[Sagitta]

Thanks to a multitude of sources, we have word that the ending of IDW's Transformers: Lost Light has garnered some major attention.

BBC News

Hasbro may have wanted what they call a "more human" comic. But Transformers themselves are living alien robotic lifeforms. Not organic. Inserting LGBTQ issues were rather out of place, a glaring inconsistent destraction, and took away from exploring various other aspects of the mythos that could have more enhanced tales.

I didn't buy the entire run and, as was my choice, preformed personal editing. Little was missed IMHO.

In relation to the BBC article will only say stating the series promoted gay characters as if that was it's sole achievement was saddening to read. There were many of the stories that were character driven that stood on their own varied merits.

I found the article offensive as if there were little to no females of the fandom beforehand. Some of us gals have been hanging around since the mid80s when TFs were introduced alongside G.I. Joe & Jem.

[Burn]

Hasbro may have wanted what they call a "more human" comic. But Transformers themselves are living alien robotic lifeforms. Not organic. Inserting LGBTQ issues were rather out of place, a glaring inconsistent destraction, and took away from exploring various other aspects of the mythos that could have more enhanced tales.

This has been a point I've been stressing, they're alien robots, but we're applying human traits to them.

That being said, LGBTQ issues are important, and have been for a number of years. While I personally felt they weren't needed in the book, I can't deny or fault what it meant for the LGBTQ community as they had characters they could relate to.

It was either that, or try to be a fan of Iceman, and no one wants to admit to liking Iceman.

In relation to the BBC article will only say stating the series promoted gay characters as if that was it's sole achievement was saddening to read. There were many of the stories that were character driven that stood on their own varied merits.

That's what these forums are for, for us to discuss all the other aspects that made up the run.

[Sagitta]

This has been a point I've been stressing, they're alien robots, but we're applying human traits to them.

That being said, LGBTQ issues are important, and have been for a number of years. While I personally felt they weren't needed in the book, I can't deny or fault what it meant for the LGBTQ community as they had characters they could relate to.

While not getting behind the concept, I will say it was poorly executed. There were two series which formed the foundation for MtmtE & RiD in which the concept was nonexistent. When MtMtE & RiD begin they not only seemed to exist but were not exactly as rare as one of the authors of the series had claimed.

The writers could have introduced the topics at some point during )or more than likely after) Dark Cybertron when the Cybertonians were first learning of the outside colonies. Or even further back in RiD's beginning when the planet's citizen population was returning. (I at least have 1 trade paperback of the first few issues.) The civilians would have had dealings with outsiders certainly. But neither happened.

Thus, the existence of that and other attempts to "make the Transformers more human" or rather "lets make them more current for today's society" goes unexplained within the comic. Hence little reason for the sudden appearance.

It was either that, or try to be a fan of Iceman, and no one wants to admit to liking Iceman.

Awww, what;s wrong with Bobby...other then him giving a cold shoulder?

That's what these forums are for, for us to discuss all the other aspects that made up the run.

Wouldn't be as interesting otherwise.

[Rodimus Prime]

Question: do the duplicate crew know that they're a duplicate? I mean, it doesn't make them any less real, but do they have the memories they had before the quantum jump? This may have been explained previously, and just don't remember it.

I forgot to mention this last time, but I was glad to see the Protectobots alive and well.

I seem to recall back in the "The Path Not Taken" arc when Nautica worked out the mystery of the 2 Lost Lights she mentioned one was as real as they other. So up until the actual point of the jump both sets of characters would hold the same type of memories.

From what Rewind, from the other Lost Light, and what Nightbeat mentioned it sounded like everything was the exact same until the jump was initiated. Two Lost Lights, same backgrounds, sane crews, separate experiences.

So then the crew in space can't really be called the "duplicate crew," because who's to say that the crew that was there before the quantum jump isn't the one in space? Or at least they think they are the original.

And I agree with you and Burn on the LGBT aspect.

[Sagitta]

So then the crew in space can't really be called the "duplicate crew," because who's to say that the crew that was there before the quantum jump isn't the one in space? Or at least they think they are the original...

Quantum mechanics. No one said it wasn't confusing.

[DeadCaL]

Did they ever explain what point was of a Deception baby hiding in the chest of a giant robot dinosaur, or did I miss that bit?

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Did they ever explain what point was of a Deception baby hiding in the chest of a giant robot dinosaur, or did I miss that bit?

Scorponok wanted to remove the sparks of Cybertronians and put them in organic bodies so they could reproduce, and once numbers were high enough, remove the sparks from all the organics to make a new larger force of Cybertronians.

It was a bit strange.

[william-james88]

this question is regsrding the issue from Mtmte when fort max took rung hostage : why did it take 3 years for the autobots to respond to one of their main prisons (the one with Impactor and a Magnificence wearing Grimlock were held no less) being taken over by the Decepticons?

Also was the magnificence epistomus or an Omega guardian? I dont think i ever read the actual amswer.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

this question is regsrding the issue from Mtmte when fort max took rung hostage : why did it take 3 years for the autobots to respond to one of their main prisons (the one with Impactor and a Magnificence wearing Grimlock were held no less) being taken over by the Decepticons?

Also was the magnificence epistomus or an Omega guardian? I dont think i ever read the actual amswer.

To answer the first one, apparently it simply was: it wasn't on the top of Prowl's to do list at the time. It was taken over when they were marooned on Cybertron, and then they fought on Earth, and then they had to get off Earth and then the Wreckers had to be assembled properly again and all that and the Earth situation had to stabilize somewhat before Prowl ended up getting to it.

And I don't think it was really answered, I took it as it was Epistimus but the Omega Guardians were able to take it over from him. But I don't know, the Omega Guardians were kinda lame

[william-james88]

this question is regsrding the issue from Mtmte when fort max took rung hostage : why did it take 3 years for the autobots to respond to one of their main prisons (the one with Impactor and a Magnificence wearing Grimlock were held no less) being taken over by the Decepticons?

Also was the magnificence epistomus or an Omega guardian? I dont think i ever read the actual amswer.

To answer the first one, apparently it simply was: it wasn't on the top of Prowl's to do list at the time. It was taken over when they were marooned on Cybertron, and then they fought on Earth, and then they had to get off Earth and then the Wreckers had to be assembled properly again and all that and the Earth situation had to stabilize somewhat before Prowl ended up getting to it.

And I don't think it was really answered, I took it as it was Epistimus but the Omega Guardians were able to take it over from him. But I don't know, the Omega Guardians were kinda lame

they were ultra lame, easily the bit i liked least from that final arc.

[DeadCaL]

Did they ever explain what point was of a Deception baby hiding in the chest of a giant robot dinosaur, or did I miss that bit?

Scorponok wanted to remove the sparks of Cybertronians and put them in organic bodies so they could reproduce, and once numbers were high enough, remove the sparks from all the organics to make a new larger force of Cybertronians.

It was a bit strange.

I'm guessing it didn't go any further than that then?