TF WAR JOURNAL: "DUTY"

You know the Drill Richter!

Two Arielbots and two Protectobots..

Will they be facing off against some Stunticons and Combaticons perchance?

i_amtrunks wrote:You know the Drill Richter!

Two Arielbots and two Protectobots..

Will they be facing off against some Stunticons and Combaticons perchance?

Thanks, Trunks. You must be as busy as I am

No Stunticons in this piece, but one Combaticon does have a quick cameo.

Actually, there really aren't very many Cons in this piece at all. This is very much told from the Autobots' perspectives.

Nice, so the final one is Hotspot.
Sad that the teaser's done and over with, now we wait until the month is over for the story.
Guess it's worth it though, this looks like it'll be great!

Richter wrote:Thanks, Trunks. You must be as busy as I am

No Stunticons in this piece, but one Combaticon does have a quick cameo.

Actually, there really aren't very many Cons in this piece at all. This is very much told from the Autobots' perspectives.

Hey it's Monday morning and barely anyone came into the office this morning!

I'd love to see Swindle but he has featured already in Spotlight: Magnus.

So very few Decepticons= very very character driven, as in soul searching, flashback driven stories?

i_amtrunks wrote:Hey it's Monday morning and barely anyone came into the office this morning!

I'd love to see Swindle but he has featured already in Spotlight: Magnus.

So very few Decepticons= very very character driven, as in soul searching, flashback driven stories?

Sounds like my day at work

No Swindle, for the reason you stated.

"very very character driven" is right!!!!

At least on flashback, but most of this focuses on how the individual deals with their respective role in the war, lots of tough decisions and actions they're not too happy with.

Yeah! Loving some Hot Spot stuff! Very cool.

Hot Spot, . Oh man, that's GREAT! I swear the shadow looked exactly like Silverbolt, great job artist, great job.

So wait, is this supposed to take place somewhere in IDW continuity?

Duke of Luns wrote:Hot Spot, . Oh man, that's GREAT! I swear the shadow looked exactly like Silverbolt, great job artist, great job.

So wait, is this supposed to take place somewhere in IDW continuity?

Yeah, we had always planned on this taking place during infiltration / escalation / stormbringer. But as most people know, at least one of our main characters appears in the upcomming Spotlight: Blaster. So this may take place after that comic.

I knew it was Hot Spot but I couldn't work out what pose he would be in by his silhouette.

I'll be interested in this. I hope this keeps the characters known personalities that we've come to know throughout the years.

I told you it was Silver..wait..it isn't?
Coulda fooled me.
The artist is a mean little trickster.

Bass X0 wrote:I knew it was Hot Spot but I couldn't work out what pose he would be in by his silhouette.

I'll be interested in this. I hope this keeps the characters known personalities that we've come to know throughout the years.

You'll definitely recognise them, although a few of them will be given some depth for the first time.

So, do they have the combination ability or no? (In Dreamwave they did, in IDW, they woulddn't yet...) Would be interesting to see a Scramble-City mesh of the four, minus an arm (only this time he won't be wishing he had First Aid, but rather anyone!).

Dam, I really thogh that last mystery bot was definately Silverbolt. Coulda fooled me. I wouldn't have guessed Hot Spot. And whose arm is that directly below the flag pole? It looks like Brawl's arm.....but I dunno.

robofeeney wrote:So, do they have the combination ability or no? (In Dreamwave they did, in IDW, they woulddn't yet...) Would be interesting to see a Scramble-City mesh of the four, minus an arm (only this time he won't be wishing he had First Aid, but rather anyone!).

I would say not, since this is meant to be in continuity with the IDW stories, where the only combination technology belongs to the Monsterbots, and even then it is severely stuffed up.

Fair enough.
Wait, they've shown Hung-RR and them combining? Thought they were just referenced to?
Regardless, I figured there wouldn't be any sort of combining, was just a back-of-the-mind whim and wish.

Hmm. Newbie question (must find time to read more comics!): what is the status/origins of the various "combiner groups" in IDW continuity, then? Just squads that work together?

i_amtrunks wrote:

robofeeney wrote:So, do they have the combination ability or no? (In Dreamwave they did, in IDW, they woulddn't yet...) Would be interesting to see a Scramble-City mesh of the four, minus an arm (only this time he won't be wishing he had First Aid, but rather anyone!).

I would say not, since this is meant to be in continuity with the IDW stories, where the only combination technology belongs to the Monsterbots, and even then it is severely stuffed up.

Indeed. If combiners exist then everyone would combine. Unless there are consequences...

I should add that the full complement of both teams (plus more bots) appear in this story, although not all take centre stage.

I should add that the full complement of both teams (plus more bots) appear in this story, although not all take centre stage.

That actually clears a lot up.

Jeysie wrote:Hmm. Newbie question (must find time to read more comics!): what is the status/origins of the various "combiner groups" in IDW continuity, then? Just squads that work together?

If I recall correctly, some squads that become combiners aren't even a working group yet (Swindle operates seperate from the rest of the Combaticons if they even work together yet, his only appearance was in the Ultra Magnus Spotlight and it was as an illegal parts seller). So far I think the only confirmed groups working together are Hung-Rr's team (forget the subname, they become Abominus) and the Constructicons.

robofeeney wrote:

Jeysie wrote:Hmm. Newbie question (must find time to read more comics!): what is the status/origins of the various "combiner groups" in IDW continuity, then? Just squads that work together?

So far I think the only confirmed groups working together are Hung-Rr's team (forget the subname, they become Abominus)

the terrorcons

robofeeney wrote:

I should add that the full complement of both teams (plus more bots) appear in this story, although not all take centre stage.

That actually clears a lot up.

Happy to help. I should also say (as I'm not sure if it's been said before) that this will consist of 22 single page stories (mostly) which builds into one 22 page story. So in theory you can read most of the pages on their own and you will get a character story or together to form a comic. A true Mosaic if you will. Or a combiner...

robofeeney, you're overlooking the Technobots under Jetfire's command (Stormbringer, Spotlight: Optimus) and the Predacons (Megatron: Origin, Stormbringer).

Is that a toy-accurate head. It ain't show-accurate, that's for sure. The show one was light gray-blue, while this one's dark gray/black.

can somebody post a list of all the names of the bots up there.

No Stunticons...

(insert random string of obscenities)

Seriously though, this is amazing work. Keep it up.
(yes, I love my Stunticons)

I guess I was hoping for some "Scramble City"-style action; But That's not possible with only 1 torso and 3 limbs...

Can't wait to read it!

Ultra Magnus wrote:I guess I was hoping for some "Scramble City"-style action; But That's not possible with only 1 torso and 3 limbs...

Can't wait to read it!

All the Protectobots and Aerialbots are in the story (although some in just minor roles). Not in a Scramble-City way though.

There are a few other bots in the story too that have had very little "page time" up until now...

waaaaghlord wrote:robofeeney, you're overlooking the Technobots under Jetfire's command (Stormbringer, Spotlight: Optimus) and the Predacons (Megatron: Origin, Stormbringer).

Bah, completely forgot about the Stormbringer teams.

WaitWaitWait!!! You're saying that there's no Combiners at all in the IDW continuity? Well why not?!?! Well that just scuffs my skidplate! I must admit that I haven't been keeping up with the IDW Comic stuff, as awesome as it is. But I was completely unaware that there were no combiners in any of the stories. I mean, why not? If Megatron can transform into a handgun for No reason, and Sunstreaker can be cloned and made into a Headmaster, then we can have some Combiners!

...rant over.

Ultra Magnus wrote:WaitWaitWait!!! You're saying that there's no Combiners at all in the IDW continuity?

Because IDW sucks that's why.

I still don't get the point here. I understand the concept behind the mosaics, but this still leaves me in the dust.

Roboto750 wrote:I still don't get the point here. I understand the concept behind the mosaics, but this still leaves me in the dust.

Don't think of this as a Mosaic, cause it ain't.

The picture above is a "cover" for an upcoming 22 page webcomic.

and to answer an earlier question, from left to right we have; Hot Spot, Silverbolt, Slingshot & First Aid.

Ultra Magnus wrote:WaitWaitWait!!! You're saying that there's no Combiners at all in the IDW continuity? Well why not?!?! Well that just scuffs my skidplate!

There is no widespread combining technology...YET. It is in a highly experimental stage, the Terrorcons wewe subjected to combiner tech by Jhiaxus and it drove them crazy. Jetfire and the Technobots were ordered to study and try to fix the Terrorcons ...

i_amtrunks wrote:There is no widespread combining technology...YET. It is in a highly experimental stage, the Terrorcons wewe subjected to combiner tech by Jhiaxus and it drove them crazy. Jetfire and the Technobots were ordered to study and try to fix the Terrorcons ...

Actually, it was the Monster Pretenders that had undergone the Gestault experiment. Terrorcons are still stand alone bots.

bookofjunon wrote:

Ultra Magnus wrote:WaitWaitWait!!! You're saying that there's no Combiners at all in the IDW continuity?

Because IDW sucks that's why.

....... Have you READ the comics? They are the best ones yet, far better that Dreamwank.

Richter wrote:

i_amtrunks wrote:There is no widespread combining technology...YET. It is in a highly experimental stage, the Terrorcons wewe subjected to combiner tech by Jhiaxus and it drove them crazy. Jetfire and the Technobots were ordered to study and try to fix the Terrorcons ...

Actually, it was the Monster Pretenders that had undergone the Gestault experiment. Terrorcons are still stand alone bots.

Yup, my mistake!

Don;t see what all the fuss is about anyways, when in gestalt form all you ever get is "grr smash" and such, having the teams functioning as a team in a War zone but remaining individuals is something new and different. We get story and character!

i_amtrunks wrote:Don;t see what all the fuss is about anyways, when in gestalt form all you ever get is "grr smash" and such, having the teams functioning as a team in a War zone but remaining individuals is something new and different. We get story and character!

That's the plan!

General Magnus wrote:

bookofjunon wrote:

Ultra Magnus wrote:WaitWaitWait!!! You're saying that there's no Combiners at all in the IDW continuity?

Because IDW sucks that's why.

....... Have you READ the comics? They are the best ones yet, far better that Dreamwank.

LOL, whatever. Dreamwave was 10 times better than this IDW trash they throw at us each month.

General Magnus wrote:

bookofjunon wrote:

Ultra Magnus wrote:WaitWaitWait!!! You're saying that there's no Combiners at all in the IDW continuity?

Because IDW sucks that's why.

....... Have you READ the comics? They are the best ones yet, far better that Dreamwank.

LOL, whatever. Dreamwave was 10 times better than this IDW trash they throw at us each month.

bookofjunon wrote:

Ultra Magnus wrote:WaitWaitWait!!! You're saying that there's no Combiners at all in the IDW continuity?

Because IDW sucks that's why.

Actually, if you think about it if combining technology were widespread then every transformer would do it. If it's fairly easy to do then why wouldn't every bot do it. The only reason these bots combined was because the toys did. What IDW has said is that there must be a reason for these things. They've tried to rationalise these things. Otherwise in a battle any given transformer would merge with the next biggest transformer and kick the crap out of each other. And if they don't, you'd end up asking why only a few are combining... The only way to rationalise it is to suggest that the process is not a good one and that the reasons for it must be pretty severe, and the consequences of such an act would outweigh the positive aspects...

The same goes for Headmasters. Why would a robot give up it's own control and its own head voluntarily? It wouldn't and it makes no sense, unless it's forced on them, and it's a loss of control. IDW has also made sense of the Pretender technology (finally).

I've got no problems with the IDW continuity so far, they're not resting on "the established" way things are. I'm not interested in another retelling of events I've already seen. I'm enjoying the twists and the unexpected turns.

As for War Journal, you'll find that the same rationalising of certain aspects occurs, although at it's heart it's a war story. And we've tried to take a snapshot of the decisions that have to get made in war. It's only 22 pages, but we're trying to show how hard a war would really be on these guys.