IDW Transformers: Sins of the Wreckers #5 Review #SinsOfTheWreckers
Wednesday, June 29th, 2016 12:56AM CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews, Site ArticlesPosted by: Va'al Views: 28,688
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(Spoiler free-ish)
Synopsis
THIS IS THE END! Will PROWL get his comeuppance? Will TARANTULAS conquer all? Will any of the WRECKERS survive? It’s wreck and rule one last time, with everything on the line!
Story
Remember when we last talked about Sins of the Wreckers? Remember how I mentioned that issue #4 felt very much like an ending, and hoped that the actual end would live up to it? Even if you don't, I say it here, again: issue #5 is the ending that the series built to, prepared for, and ultimately, deserves. Let me tell you why.
This guy, mostly
I will not spoil the book, there will be plenty of time for that in the discussion that will follow, I will point out, though, some of the highest notes that Nick Roche has achieved in this brief but in-depth plunge back into the world of one of more messed up teams in the IDWverse. Above all, the scheming and betrayal that runs deep and leads back to Prowl, always Prowl, and his machinations, and his creations - Tarantulas, Kup, Verity, the secret police, is everything his fault?
We found out some of the dirty secrets last issue, but even more comes out this time: feelings of hurt, revenge, coping mechanisms, catharsis, and violence. A lot of violence, and characters forged through that violence and *bad stuff*. What we obtain is the strange mix of strength and weakness, as the two sides of the same coin - with emotion running all along the thin edge, the gut-wrenching type that comes with *bad stuff*.
If you're looking for Overlord levels of manipulation, but with an even stronger psychological connection between characters themselves, and creator and readers, this is the book you should pick up. It's raw, and still edited. It's hard to swallow, but it flow smoothly. It's good. You should read it.
Art
Roche is still very good at the storytelling happening in visual form too, though it should come as no surprise by now. Where the dialogue might risk to overpower the scene, the quieter frames actually allow for a wider scope, and a much deafening, visually speaking, effect. Towards the end, at the climax of the Tarantulas confrontation, you will explicitly see how words are not always needed.
Josh Burcham needs a lot of credit here, as the issue and the series look like nothing before in the IDWverse - even considering previous Roche projects, and Spotlight: Kup, of which we see many references in the series - as his colours are exquisitely apt and decisive for the full spectrum of greys (metaphor) used in the strands of the book. And some of the wider pages would lose a lot of their power without the colours.
The lettering is fantastic, as it has been for the series so far, combining the visual power of size and colour with the fontwork that Tom B. Long can bring to a Transformers book. The silences become clearer, the beastly fonts give voices extra layers, and you can see-hear everything, even in the mess of the Noisemaze. As for covers, not only do we get another Roche/Burcham piece mirroring the first issue, we have the return of two Transformers favourites in E.J. Su (see preview thumbnail) and Guido Guidi (this thumbnail), with their takes on Wreckers past and present.
Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead
There have been delays, and they were fully justified - read more by Roche himself here - but even before knowing anything about the author's personal life, the issue, and the series as a result, is a strong, emotional, intense, heartfelt, harrowing, powerful, and most of all human piece of art. It deals with the horrors of emotions, of war, of betrayal, of anguish. It reaches, hard, for hearts and sparks alike. It wrecks.
The conclusion is satisfying without being exhaustive, it keeps threads closed where they should and others open where they can. This was never one story, but a knot in a web of stories: there is no one single thread that would allow for a neat resolution. So it gives many, and does so in words, it does so in pictures, it does so in in ways that only this medium allows. It rules.
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Posted by ZeroWolf on June 29th, 2016 @ 3:07am CDT
Posted by Tigertrack on June 29th, 2016 @ 9:55am CDT
I was let down a couple times (and more when considering MTMTE), but mostly because characters did not act how I wanted them to or their ends were not what I wanted, but they instead acted in the manner in which they had been written and portrayed previously, realistically based on their former relationships and experiences within the written IDW-verse. It's hard to lose so many favorite characters recently because of how others portray them compared to how you 'think' they are in your own starry-eyed little chunk of fandom-reality.
I was glad to see the results of the end. I hope to see more. It was satisfying, and yet, not quite satisfying enough, you know?
ZeroWolf and others who want to wait, I suggest picking up this version, the collected, the hardcover collected when it comes out, and of course, a digital collected version as well. WHY you might ask would you do that and own so many copies of the same thing? To support this thing we like, to encourage the artist and creator to do more, to encourage the company that this product, this piece of creative art and literature is something we want to see more of.
It was worth the wait. It was worth the wait after Last Stand to get another Wreckers story. It was worth the wait while Nick (yeah, Nick he and I are like this so I can use his first name-- NOT--wish we were, but I can't be one of those social media stalkers...) went through his family's struggles and losing someone too early, and the birth of his child the ultimate in positive life energy-- to get to issue #4 and then finally #5.
Nick does what he should in his profession. He leaves us wanting more because his stuff is really that good. The episodic nature of his work: issue by issue, and then series by series really does that. I hope he gets the opportunity to do more, and that we don't have to wait as long for the coming of what's next.
Congratulations on finishing another exceptional, and I hope, award-winning series. Congratulations on your +1 achievement on adding a child to your family. Sins really leveled up Last Stand, and I loved Last Stand. Looking forward to the next Wreckers/Transformers adventure that you cook up.
Posted by Randomhero on June 29th, 2016 @ 10:37am CDT
http://nickroche.blogspot.com
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on June 29th, 2016 @ 10:52am CDT
Also: Look at Springers rear wheels in that last panel. There is a little spider in the wheel well. Tarantulas lives! And he's with his "son" basically so I suppose he is somewhat happy
Posted by 1984forever on June 29th, 2016 @ 11:19am CDT
Dr Va'al wrote:D-Maximus_Primal wrote:And you must remember this: deviations was a one off. It only beat the ongoingings by a few hundred comics and it was a single. Singles should sell easily. the one and the only.
The post is great, and I agree. Just one note - even in single hardcopies, Deviations sold fewer copies.Dr Va'al wrote:Sure, here. From Comichron.
March 2016
Transformers More Than Meets Eye 10,439
Transformers Deviations 9,196
On another note...avisie wrote:I see the characters considering the consequences of war and their conduct during the conflict (maybe not Guzzle) and I feel that it is handled well. We have a shed load of new and interesting characters, the return of a fan favourite in Springer and even more intrigue and depth to the enigma that is Prowl.
Yes. This. Very well put, and spot on.
Review tomorroooooow!
MTMTE # 50 which was supposed to be released in FEB sold over 10,000. Deviations which was a March release, beat MTMTE #51 (8124) which was also released in March. 2000 readers lost in 2 weeks, wow. The whole SOTW is just another nail in the coffin.
Posted by Tigertrack on June 29th, 2016 @ 11:34am CDT
1984forever wrote:Dr Va'al wrote:D-Maximus_Primal wrote:And you must remember this: deviations was a one off. It only beat the ongoingings by a few hundred comics and it was a single. Singles should sell easily. the one and the only.
The post is great, and I agree. Just one note - even in single hardcopies, Deviations sold fewer copies.Dr Va'al wrote:Sure, here. From Comichron.
March 2016
Transformers More Than Meets Eye 10,439
Transformers Deviations 9,196
On another note...avisie wrote:I see the characters considering the consequences of war and their conduct during the conflict (maybe not Guzzle) and I feel that it is handled well. We have a shed load of new and interesting characters, the return of a fan favourite in Springer and even more intrigue and depth to the enigma that is Prowl.
Yes. This. Very well put, and spot on.
Review tomorroooooow!
MTMTE # 50 which was supposed to be released in FEB sold over 10,000. Deviations which was a March release, beat MTMTE #51 (8124) which was also released in March. 2000 readers lost in 2 weeks, wow. The whole SOTW is just another nail in the coffin.
I'm going to disagree, but certainly you can have your opinion!
Posted by Randomhero on June 29th, 2016 @ 11:42am CDT
Tigertrack wrote:1984forever wrote:Dr Va'al wrote:D-Maximus_Primal wrote:And you must remember this: deviations was a one off. It only beat the ongoingings by a few hundred comics and it was a single. Singles should sell easily. the one and the only.
The post is great, and I agree. Just one note - even in single hardcopies, Deviations sold fewer copies.Dr Va'al wrote:Sure, here. From Comichron.
March 2016
Transformers More Than Meets Eye 10,439
Transformers Deviations 9,196
On another note...avisie wrote:I see the characters considering the consequences of war and their conduct during the conflict (maybe not Guzzle) and I feel that it is handled well. We have a shed load of new and interesting characters, the return of a fan favourite in Springer and even more intrigue and depth to the enigma that is Prowl.
Yes. This. Very well put, and spot on.
Review tomorroooooow!
MTMTE # 50 which was supposed to be released in FEB sold over 10,000. Deviations which was a March release, beat MTMTE #51 (8124) which was also released in March. 2000 readers lost in 2 weeks, wow. The whole SOTW is just another nail in the coffin.
I'm going to disagree, but certainly you can have your opinion!
Don't respond to his comments tiger. He's hust here to troll. Like all IDW threads. Just ignore him
Posted by Va'al on June 29th, 2016 @ 11:57am CDT
Randomhero wrote:The other day Nick posted on his blog why this series met with so many delays. Anyone interested please give it a read but fair warning it's very sad and he did not have to do this. His personal life is none of our business. I commend him for opening up. It shows how much he cares about this book and the fans
http://nickroche.blogspot.com
I linked to that in the review too, and we've had it floating about the thread as well - but well worth the read.
I agree with the cautions.
Posted by Tigertrack on June 29th, 2016 @ 12:03pm CDT
Randomhero wrote:Don't respond to his comments tiger. He's hust here to troll. Like all IDW threads. Just ignore him
Thanks Rh, I lurk more than I post lately, and I read a lot from you guys that I enjoy, and I see others coming in too that offer great ideas to consider and things that I have missed.
I've seen 1984's work too. I can see where some of his beliefs are coming from, even if I don't agree with everything. I know he is staunch in his feelings and opinion...unwavering, and that's cool for him. I understand that IDW doesn't do everything that I want with the characters and plots as well, and thus can relate to that piece.
Look forward to hearing your response to SOTW Randomhero!
Posted by 1984forever on June 29th, 2016 @ 12:05pm CDT
People are only trolls here when they disagree with the masses it seems.Randomhero wrote:Tigertrack wrote:1984forever wrote:Dr Va'al wrote:D-Maximus_Primal wrote:And you must remember this: deviations was a one off. It only beat the ongoingings by a few hundred comics and it was a single. Singles should sell easily. the one and the only.
The post is great, and I agree. Just one note - even in single hardcopies, Deviations sold fewer copies.Dr Va'al wrote:Sure, here. From Comichron.
March 2016
Transformers More Than Meets Eye 10,439
Transformers Deviations 9,196
On another note...avisie wrote:I see the characters considering the consequences of war and their conduct during the conflict (maybe not Guzzle) and I feel that it is handled well. We have a shed load of new and interesting characters, the return of a fan favourite in Springer and even more intrigue and depth to the enigma that is Prowl.
Yes. This. Very well put, and spot on.
Review tomorroooooow!
MTMTE # 50 which was supposed to be released in FEB sold over 10,000. Deviations which was a March release, beat MTMTE #51 (8124) which was also released in March. 2000 readers lost in 2 weeks, wow. The whole SOTW is just another nail in the coffin.
I'm going to disagree, but certainly you can have your opinion!
Don't respond to his comments tiger. He's hust here to troll. Like all IDW threads. Just ignore him
Anyways I believe that SOTW could have been salvaged as late as #5 if IDW stopped paying all staff working on the book. People are more creative when they're hungry.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on June 29th, 2016 @ 12:14pm CDT
1984forever wrote:MTMTE # 50 which was supposed to be released in FEB sold over 10,000. Deviations which was a March release, beat MTMTE #51 (8124) which was also released in March. 2000 readers lost in 2 weeks, wow. The whole SOTW is just another nail in the coffin.
Again, those are american hard copies only. No international nor online sales. And people may like to buy hard copies of more memorable issues (since it was #50 and such).
As for sins, I think it turned out to be a good book. Last Stand was still in wartime and was supposed to be a big fight. This was more dealing with what happened during the war and the consequences of the actions. It wasn't a real evil villain like Overlord, but more of a complex villain and some antagonists that were geared more towards doing what they thought was right than going against the actual heroes.
And the pages with Springer and Tarantulas where the words were being left out was very cool and well done
Posted by Tigertrack on June 29th, 2016 @ 12:29pm CDT
D-Maximus_Primal wrote:1984forever wrote:MTMTE # 50 which was supposed to be released in FEB sold over 10,000. Deviations which was a March release, beat MTMTE #51 (8124) which was also released in March. 2000 readers lost in 2 weeks, wow. The whole SOTW is just another nail in the coffin.
Again, those are american hard copies only. No international nor online sales. And people may like to buy hard copies of more memorable issues (since it was #50 and such).
As for sins, I think it turned out to be a good book. Last Stand was still in wartime and was supposed to be a big fight. This was more dealing with what happened during the war and the consequences of the actions. It wasn't a real evil villain like Overlord, but more of a complex villain and some antagonists that were geared more towards doing what they thought was right than going against the actual heroes.
And the pages with Springer and Tarantulas where the words were being left out was very cool and well done
I can't wait to read it again, where it's not the review copy on my ipad. Looks like I'll pick up the hard copy tomorrow, but yeah, very well said. Overlord was over the top, and the Wreckers were all wrecking it and stuff. But now Mesothulias, he's a good guy gone bad so to speak, messed up by what he did in the war in the name of supposed friendship and science, dealing with betrayal (not well), after it was all done.
I may want a Prowl who is much more worthy of being a hero (from my childhood eyes), which Springer thankfully still is in this series, but the way it is all written and put together makes it feel real. Guzzle and Kup's reactions to their manipulations were also noteworthy... and something you did not see in Last Stand, or even coming based on their relationship in last stand.
Posted by Carnivius_Prime on June 29th, 2016 @ 12:50pm CDT
Posted by Tigertrack on June 29th, 2016 @ 12:54pm CDT
Carnivius_Prime wrote:I dunno why I stuck with this series. I try so hard to find a modern Transformers comic I enjoy but IDW's stuff just doesn't do it for me at all. Regeneration One, despite it's flaws, was the only thing they've published that I really got into and a lot of that was probably just down to it being a continuation of Marvel (though the US and not my preferred UK version). I think I mainly got this cos it had a new Carnivac in it but I dunno. It's just not for me.
Hmm... I'm currently re-reading all the previous Marvel and UK stuff. As I've seen more ways to have the characters interact with each other, the new writing is so much more 'realistic' as far as dialogue and actions go.
I did enjoy REGEN. Are you looking for Simon Furman writing to come back? Did you like any of the previous IDW Furman written stuff? Did you like Costa's stuff?
Posted by avisie on June 29th, 2016 @ 8:19pm CDT
Huge respect to Mr Roche for producing such high quality work at such a testing time for him and his family.
Please,please let their be a next one. Like Springer says, their lives have to go back to being 'normal' at some point!
Posted by Va'al on July 8th, 2016 @ 12:39pm CDT
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on July 8th, 2016 @ 2:35pm CDT
1) Guzzle finally going for his vengeance against Kup
2) Where will the "Survivors" go from here? Are we headed towards a Survivors storyline?
Posted by Va'al on July 8th, 2016 @ 2:55pm CDT
D-Maximus_Primal wrote:2 things:
1) Guzzle finally going for his vengeance against Kup
2) Where will the "Survivors" go from here? Are we headed towards a Survivors storyline?
A certain R word was used, too... let's see if there's some sort of ..evolution to follow.
Posted by RevTibe on July 8th, 2016 @ 3:38pm CDT
Roche half-jokingly mentioned that it was tough writing a sequel on account of all the characters who bit the dust in Last Stand. Following from that, what aspects of Sins seem like lessons learned from Last Stand? (The stronger sequel hooks being the most obvious example.)
Thoughts on how Sins was integrated into the main IDW storyline? Perhaps some of you would have preferred more or less integration?
More generally speaking, this is the third path IDW has taken to introducing Beast Wars characters to a G1 continuity (the other two being via colony, or that they're normal Cybertronians a la Rhinox and Rattrap). Thoughts on the three paths, including BW characters in a G1 era story etc?
Posted by Va'al on July 8th, 2016 @ 4:18pm CDT
Posted by ScottyP on July 8th, 2016 @ 4:28pm CDT
Oooh, yes this one I like. I have a lot to say about this. It's more connected than most have realized, but in a retrospective way moreso than a concurrent way.RevTibe wrote:Thoughts on how Sins was integrated into the main IDW storyline? Perhaps some of you have preferred more or less integration?
Posted by Trypticon01 on July 9th, 2016 @ 2:31pm CDT
Posted by Va'al on July 10th, 2016 @ 8:54am CDT
Trypticon01 wrote:Where does this fit into the timeline, I'm confused since half the characters are also in concurrent stories like Arcee...
I can answer that quite easily here, but we'll mention it on the show too: between the events of The Transformers #42 and #45. The full IDW chronology can be seen here!
Posted by Trypticon01 on July 10th, 2016 @ 10:07am CDT
Dr Va'al wrote:Trypticon01 wrote:Where does this fit into the timeline, I'm confused since half the characters are also in concurrent stories like Arcee...
I can answer that quite easily here, but we'll mention it on the show too: between the events of The Transformers #42 and #45. The full IDW chronology can be seen here!
Thanks a lot!
Posted by Ironhidensh on July 10th, 2016 @ 10:16am CDT
ScottyP wrote:Oooh, yes this one I like. I have a lot to say about this. It's more connected than most have realized, but in a retrospective way moreso than a concurrent way.RevTibe wrote:Thoughts on how Sins was integrated into the main IDW storyline? Perhaps some of you have preferred more or less integration?
I'm more interested in hearing this than anything else. Maybe it's from reading these as they come out on a monthly basis, but it just doesn't feel connected to anything else for me.
Posted by avisie on July 10th, 2016 @ 8:16pm CDT
If you didn't enjoy it as a serial,I'd really suggest swallowing it all at once. I found it so satisfying to do so.
And, I LOVE the last page!
Posted by Va'al on July 12th, 2016 @ 3:11am CDT
http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... ule/35819/
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on July 17th, 2016 @ 3:41pm CDT
Dr Va'al wrote:D-Maximus_Primal wrote:2 things:
1) Guzzle finally going for his vengeance against Kup
2) Where will the "Survivors" go from here? Are we headed towards a Survivors storyline?
A certain R word was used, too... let's see if there's some sort of ..evolution to follow.
Oh that word stuck out at me. Makes me think what Impactor and crew will have to do with upcoming stories.
And I love that Springer is alive, done with the war, and is living on Earth with Verity. Who knows: he may join up with the storyline on Earth in the Transformers eventually. And it will be interesting to see how he takes all those events
Posted by Va'al on August 4th, 2016 @ 10:47am CDT
Got the PDF for the #SinsOfTheWreckers TPB. 100 pgs of story. *30* pgs of extras/covers. Take a bow, Alonzo Simon & @IDWjustin, @MowryChris
IDW have put together an AMAZING extras package for the collected #SinsOfTheWreckers. 15 pages of stuff like THIS.
And that's the coverage the background characters get. Loads of process thoughts and images for the main cast. Please order your copy!
The #SinsOfTheWreckers TPB is a process junkie's dream. As much as there is about the artwork, there's TONS of info about its writing.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on August 4th, 2016 @ 10:50am CDT
Posted by YoungPrime on August 4th, 2016 @ 2:36pm CDT
Seriously I actually forgot what happened at the end and that last issue wasn't even that long ago.
Posted by Mkall on August 4th, 2016 @ 6:38pm CDT
Posted by Deadput on August 4th, 2016 @ 8:12pm CDT
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on August 4th, 2016 @ 8:25pm CDT
Posted by Deadput on August 4th, 2016 @ 9:23pm CDT
D-Maximus_Primal wrote:I thought it was a good read. While it didn't have much effect on the wider story it was still good.
only thing that happened is oh more backstory on Prowl's evil deeds and more Wreckers die needlessly and Springer comes back from the dead but then turns out he was just a drone in the first place.
Posted by MaverickPrime on August 5th, 2016 @ 12:03am CDT
Posted by Va'al on August 5th, 2016 @ 3:33am CDT
Deadput wrote:D-Maximus_Primal wrote:I thought it was a good read. While it didn't have much effect on the wider story it was still good.
only thing that happened is oh more backstory on Prowl's evil deeds and more Wreckers die needlessly and Springer comes back from the dead but then turns out he was just a drone in the first place.
Which, in the current story, does not seem to have a big impact.
It is highly possible, and unlikely not to, have repercussions later down the line. But for now, Sins did not affect the story, it was just slotted in, and picking up from multiple sources up to this point.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on August 5th, 2016 @ 11:54am CDT
Deadput wrote:D-Maximus_Primal wrote:I thought it was a good read. While it didn't have much effect on the wider story it was still good.
only thing that happened is oh more backstory on Prowl's evil deeds and more Wreckers die needlessly and Springer comes back from the dead but then turns out he was just a drone in the first place.
He's not a drone as you say, but the first successful homemade Cybertronian, which is big. Plus, with this bad guy still probably alive and springer now on Earth, there is set up, not to mention Impactor mentioning Revolution, so they will likely play a part in future stories.
Plus, next months MTMTE will show us if Prowl has learned anything from his experiences.
Posted by Va'al on August 15th, 2016 @ 5:52am CDT
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on January 10th, 2017 @ 8:11pm CST
Roche appears well liked in the area as well, as IDW's Lost Light #1 was completely sold out thanks, reportedly, to the special Nick Roche cover that flew off their shelves. And, currently happening are the Irish Comic News awards 2016, and IDW and Transformers are once again represented by Roche and Sins, as Roche is in the running for both Best Irish Writer Published Outside Ireland and Best Irish Artist Published Outside Ireland, and Sins is in the running for Best Irish Creator Comic Published Outside Ireland. You can vote for Roche and Sins by following the above link.
Congratulations to Roche and the IDW team for this achievement, despite all the hardships and challenges that had to be overcome to finish the story.
Posted by Coptur on January 11th, 2017 @ 3:00am CST
But for me personally I didn't enjoy and/or like Sins of the Wreckers
Posted by snavej on January 11th, 2017 @ 12:13pm CST
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on January 11th, 2017 @ 2:29pm CST
Posted by Va'al on January 11th, 2017 @ 4:47pm CST
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:It is pretty impressive considering how high Sins ranked on the list, the fact that it was the only IDW and Transformers comic to make it despite the ongoings, and it did really well despite Nick's personal time he needed. It shows how powerful that comic was in Ireland
And how well a good comic shop can operate when it has a loyal following and good strategies. Big Bang do excellent analysis work every Monday on Twitter, and bring in as many guests as they can when possible!
Also, the Irish comics contingent is not to be underestimated: from Shalvey to Roche to Mooney and others, a good crew to have in the city.
Posted by Va'al on April 21st, 2017 @ 2:45am CDT
Hey look I drew Hubcap
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on April 21st, 2017 @ 10:29am CDT
Did Tidal Wave go down with the noisemaze? Cause I really liked him for some reason.
Still hoping to see more of Mayhem/Impactor and what happens with Springer and Verity now
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on April 22nd, 2017 @ 12:43pm CDT
Posted by Va'al on June 5th, 2017 @ 9:50am CDT
yessssssss
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on June 6th, 2017 @ 6:47pm CDT
Also read the series again. It is a great read and I am still loving it and kicking myself for forgetting about it in the year in review
Posted by avarathriul on June 30th, 2017 @ 4:42pm CDT