iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2

Posted by william-james88 Aug 10, 2017 at 11:32pm CDT 17,875 views

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Via iTunes, we have a short preview for the second issue of the new Hasbro Universe crossover event Rom vs Transformers: Shining Armor - with art by Alex Milne, written by John Barber. Check it out below, and join the discussion in the Energon Pub!

Starscream forges an unholy pact with the Dire Wraiths and Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus are hot on his trail. Unfortunately for them, Rom and the Solstar Knights don't know the difference between Autobots and Decepticons and they're ready to fight all comers!

Transformers News: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2

iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2

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Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by ratchetneededthat Aug 11, 2017

Glad to see Dirge being used again. So this is why he abandoned the Decepticons in the RID ongoing, nobody listens to orders. (And that he and Deluge were essentially abandoned on Cybertron) I wish Dirge was used now as much as he was during RID. His last appearance was when Wheeljack came back.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Randomhero Aug 11, 2017

ratchetneededthat wrote:Glad to see Dirge being used again. So this is why he abandoned the Decepticons in the RID ongoing, nobody listens to orders. (And that he and Deluge were essentially abandoned on Cybertron) I wish Dirge was used now as much as he was during RID. His last appearance was when Wheeljack came back.

That's my only pet peeve about rid/TF/op is introducing characters, giving them character and time and then forgetting them.

Tappet, Zetca, waspinator, scoop, dirge, dreading . Really interesting characters that after a while become background characters that might get a line if they're lucky

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by D-Maximal_Primal Aug 11, 2017

The art is glorious, and yay Dirge!

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Kurona Aug 11, 2017

Yeah, it is a shame that Dirge hasn't showed up more since RiD. That comic made me actually care about a Conehead; which is an incredible feat in and of itself -- I'm hoping Shining Armour'll give us a little glimpse of his disillusionment with the Decepticon Cause, much like Spotlight: Thundercracker did for another blue seeker.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Va'al Aug 21, 2017

Along with First Strike #2, this week sees IDW Publishing dip further into crossover territory with the second issue of the mini-series Rom vs Transformers: Shining Armor, as we find out more about Stardrive's place in the Cybertronian world, as well as the wider universe and Starscream's plans, courtesy of Multiversity Comics! Check out the full preview below, and a review later this week on Seibertron.com.

Starscream forges an unholy pact with the Dire Wraiths—and Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus are hot on his trail. Unfortunately for them, Rom and the Solstar Knights don’t know the difference between Autobots and Decepticons—and they’re ready to fight all comers!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99
Bullet points:

· An all-star lineup of Christos Gage (Rom), John Barber (Optimus Prime), and Alex Milne (More Than Meets the Eye) tell the never-before-revealed secret history of Rom and the Transformers!

· Don’t miss the cover by Ominous Press creator, Bart Sears, part of our Bart Sears cover month!

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Deadput Aug 21, 2017

Huh Skyblast?

Obscure but it's a welcome cameo (Assuming he is just that)

Jet Vehicon is cool too and it's nice to see more of the war and see Starscream being "evil" again.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Coptur Aug 23, 2017

I must admit this has been a nice break from OP, LL & TAAO.

I think the current trend of TF comics are running their natural course and we need a big overhaul and/or strong reboot.

I know this may not be popular opinion but i'm just not interested in IDW tf comics at the moment.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by ScottyP Aug 23, 2017

Interested to see if issue 2 turns around opinions like it did mine on this story. Strip away the very very nice art and I don't think there's enough plot to fill five issues.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Kurona Aug 23, 2017

ScottyP wrote:Interested to see if issue 2 turns around opinions like it did mine on this story. Strip away the very very nice art and I don't think there's enough plot to fill five issues.

Personally speaking it felt much weaker than issue #1. That said, I think that's largely because the issue is essentially one big fight scene... and a certain little error on the cast page got me really excited to see a backstory for one of my favourite characters that just didn't happen.
Simply put, aside from the wraith autobot fusion in the middle of the issue, nothing particularly interesting happened but a few interesting things are set up to happen with Rom back in the picture and this version of Ultra Magnus dead.
Also, I totally called this Magnus not being Minimus; he acts so different and certain things that happen to him confirm it's Ramp or Damus or whoever.
Also doesn't help we barely get any focus on Stardrive. Would've thought we'd get a page or something devoted to her thoughts on seeing her fellow Cybertronians for the first time, but, nope. Just Bumblebee being a nice person I guess.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by ScottyP Aug 23, 2017

^ I agree with basically all of that. So much 'meh' in this one.

Skyblast the redshirt legit disappoints me on multiple levels. Even if the entire creative group had no plans to ever do anything with the Space Team/Requiem Blaster, they just handcuffed anyone that might want to later. Just, man, don't red shirt one member of a three bot Combiner team! Unless the later issues are going to have Astroscope and Payload in a Triplicate Girl kind of story then gtfo with this Armada-indifference crap.
Outside of some fighting, what happens here? What did this issue add to the story that wasn't in issue 1?
I understand wanting to make it very clear that this Magnus is not Minimus Ambus, but I'm both unsure it fits with established continuity and it felt like being hammered over the head repeatedly with a "this isn't Minimus LOL" hammer.
Bee and Rom somehow saying what they do and not managing to hold off their teammates? Ehhh I'm having a hard time here.
Why should I care about Dire Wraiths? What do they want? They've been around a year plus in IDW continuity, let's get some shades of grey in their collective character. This is not just this book's fault, to be fair. Doc and others like her are too far to the other extreme for that to be a fascinating schism.
As a Rom reader, holy wow I really want a story where he does anything else. The pattern of him trying and succeeding and/or failing to talk Livia down all the time, repetitively, was old months ago. With the first issue out of the way, why not expand on their relationship instead of beating the same path?
Why is Stardrive like, a background character already?

Yeah, I didn't like it. I strongly disliked it. I may not order 5.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Va'al Aug 24, 2017

Review is coming at weekend, but similar thoughts indeed.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Va'al Sep 2, 2017

While I try finding the time to review the second issue of the series, Previews World has updated their pages with some variant covers for IDW Publishing's Rom vs Transformers: Shining Armor #3! The first one below is by gruesome twosome Nick Roch and Josh Burcham, while the second has profile art by Casey Coller and (probably; yo, start crediting people properly, thanks) Joana Lafuente - check them out!

UPDATE: The Coller cover is confirmed as being coloured by John-Paul Bove.

(W) John Barber, Christos Gage (A) Alex Milne (CA) Nick Roche
Crash-landed on a mysterious planet and pursued by both Decepticons and Dire Wraiths, the Solstar Knights and Autobots will have to set aside their differences in order to save themselves!

(W) John Barber, Christos Gage (A) Alex Milne (CA) Casey Coller
Crash-landed on a mysterious planet and pursued by both Decepticons and Dire Wraiths, the Solstar Knights and Autobots will have to set aside their differences in order to save themselves!

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Kurona Sep 2, 2017

Now it looks like we're getting to the interesting stuff. This was something brought up by Scotty initially but I greatly agree with it so I'm gonna re-iterate -- it feels like this was thought out well as a very interesting story, but it wasn't enough story to fill out the number of issues they got so that's why #2 felt a bit filler-y with that drawn out battle.

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Daniel Adkins Sep 13, 2017

Shining Armor #3 iTunes preview: https://t.co/O9iLhLMuBg

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Bounti76 Sep 14, 2017

Via iTunes, we now have a three page preview for the third (of five) issue of Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor. It's due to be released on September 30th, so while you're waiting, check out the pages below, and be sure to read the issue review after it comes out!

Crash-landed on a mysterious planet and pursued by both Decepticons and Dire Wraiths, the Solstar Knights and Autobots will have to set aside their differences in order to save themselves!

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Kurona Sep 14, 2017

I was a bit worried that this was gonna go the same route of Earth hating all Cybertronians and not willing to differentiate; and it was looking like that, but... by the end of page 3 this feels a lot more natural. And a lot more interesting. Can't wait for release

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Va'al Sep 14, 2017

I.. am.. still.. working.. on.. reviewing.. issue.. 2..

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Randomhero Sep 14, 2017

Va'al wrote:I.. am.. still.. working.. on.. reviewing.. issue.. 2..

Just say it's good and be done with it

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Va'al Sep 14, 2017

Randomhero wrote:
Va'al wrote:I.. am.. still.. working.. on.. reviewing.. issue.. 2..

Just say it's good and be done with it

It's not. It's.. just ok. But there's reasons.

Also, you've seen my reviews, I'm not just going to say something simply. :-P

Re: iTunes Preview for IDW Rom Vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 (view post)

Comment by Kurona Sep 14, 2017

My big problem with #2 is that it's basically just a big fight scene. And that's... alright; it's a decent fight scene with a few interesting things going on, but it's basically just a fight scene that only at the end is used as a vehicle to get from point A to point B. #3 just from this preview is looking to be a lot more interesting with a lot more plot and characterisation.

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