Comic Review: Windblade

[bassbot]

I'm sure you've all seen the previews by now but I have to 100% recommend this comic! Loving the art style and the continued story on Cybertron through the lens of a new citizen is great.
I did a more in depth review on tumblr here (http://lukeabarnettwrites.tumblr.com/post/82895478779/windblade1review)

[Paulbot]

I really enjoyed this issue too.

I thought the art was great. It felt like reading a cartoon. Very different but in a good way. The dialogue I liked but the narration I'm a bit iffy on.

The bar scene was my highlight. Great mix of characters there, and the inclusion of Fizzle was so "on Tech Spec" that it shows some good research into TFs. Slug's voice seemed a bit off, but I liked this Slug more than any of his previous IDW appearances.

I also like the take on what it means when your city is an actual living (giant) Transformer. It's a unique aspect that's never really been looked at before.

[Firestorm]

a decent start, the artstyle is certainly different but I kinda like it
something I find strange though is that windblade seems different to how she was portrayed in DC, she seems... younger, and more feminine. where as in DC for what little screen time she had she seemed like a hardened slightly awkward warrior. here she seems, smaller and more innocent and just different. but I kinda prefer this new windblade. I think the art style affect my perception of her even more than the dialogue (since she made her debut on the hyper gritty Raiz drawn pages and now she's in a much smoother, simpler more colourful style.

in regards to the story, I'm liking the fish out of water, trying to find her place setup they have going, mixed with Starscream plotting to kill her and pin the blame for things on her.
the ongoing story for what's going on with metroplex should be interesting too.
it was also nice seeing more characters too (like "tall" tankor and "fat" tankor :p) and yay for more bar scenes. primus knows there aren't enough of those in MTMTE
Looking forward to reading more of this mini-series :)

[Sam]

When I read this story, I get the impression that Windblade is quite "fragile" in the sense that she's not a savvy warrior. But perhaps this is what the writer is trying to convey?

[Sharky]

having read this a coupleof times i dont mind the story... in some regards looks like sarscream didnt learn anything Windblade if very savaant and childlike type of character like paulbot mentioned i like the perspective of what it takes to run a city like metroplex

the bar scene was brilliant.

the art while it starts out very visually stunning i couldnt help but notice as the comic went on tha alot of characters started looking very feminine and im nott alking about Chromia and Windblade.

look forward to more from this book but it really is just a stepping stone to MTMTE

[Sky Shadow]

I love the art - very Animated. The characterisation is great - I hope they've been actively advertising this comic in the female-targeted IDW books, as it's the kind of limited series that could garner new Transformers fans. The bar scene is clearly the highlight, and I will now forever think of Tankor as Fat Tankor. Fizzle vastly exaggerating his importance on The Lost Light was amusing, and there was also a clever continued use of Circuit as a 'messenger'. The only (minor) issue I have is that - assuming the potential death of Windblade was Starscream's 'plan' - it seems unnecessarily elaborate, although I guess not entirely unlike shooting Metalhawk with Turmoil's gun. The fact that it failed was very 'Starscream', though. The best thing this comic did was take a character who could have been a female Drift, and it made her the antithesis of a pile of crap. Very nicely done, Scott and Stone.

[i_amtrunks]

So far, so good. I loved the art, it was very paint like but there was still a great deal of detail. The further into the comic I read, the more it grew on me and it just seemed to "fit" the story. I don't even mind the effeminate on of other characters like tall tankor, Starscream and Blurr.
It was a decent read as well, not MtMtE long, but longer than most comics.

I didn't like the Ironhide model, but loved the characterisation that he is soul searching. I'm not sure Starscream is good enough to plan the power overload himself, it seems like too grand of a plan that relied on too many things going 'just right' for it to work. I assume if ol' Screamer was behind it that Rattrap would've helped manufacture the overload and having him do so much when he was happy to turn on Starscream in Dark Cybertron it seems folly for him to be doing such dirty work where he could use it to take Starscream down in the future.

Overall a top read, I am intrigued and if the quality of writing and art remains at this level I'll be glad to support 3 titles at once.

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm impressed. Before picking up this comic today, I was really worried that Windblade was going to be another Drift, but she's far from it. You mean, a character with weaknesses and massive complications to overcome?!? :eek: The art style, to me, appears to be inspired by Shojo Manga. For those who may not know, that's the style of Japanese comic book that's targeted at females (e.g. Sailormoon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKD6lTdAIP0), Utena (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyYs1Mc_XAg), Rayearth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwRnOC4viqw) et al.) - and not surprisingly, Starscream is looking rather Biseinen ('beautiful man', e.g. Weiss Kreuz (http://www.animextremist.com/imagenes/weiss-kreuz/weisskreuz15.jpg), Kenshin (http://cartoonpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Kenshin.jpg) etc.).

The Maccadam scene was really cute, and I particularly liked the ribbing it gave to Hasbro with the two Tankors, lolz. ;)

[BigTransformerTrev]

I get the feeling I am the only one who wasn't particularly impressed with the art style. I didn't hate it, but for me it felt like something that belonged more in a TF: Animated comic than one set on a G1'ish Cybertron where the only city in the desolate wasteland is a energy-depleted titan.

I think they created this comic in part so they could still have something happening on Cybertron since the focus for RID seems to be headed for Earth. I do quite like the storyline of everyone living in a giant Transformer though, should prove to be a very interesting angle for the story. And it's great to finally see some Femmebots take center stage, I felt after only having Arcee (and making her insane!) for pretty much the whole IDW TFverse run thus far that it was getting a bit boys clubbish and they were excluding some great fan-fav characters.

[Trent]

I like it. Good art. Good story (so far). Windblade is an interesting character and I really like how they have succeeded with where so many other writers commonly fail in differentiating naivety from gullibility. Too often writers think that those two are one and the same.

Looking forward to the rest free series and the toy now :)

[SuspectimusPrime]

I get the feeling I am the only one who wasn't particularly impressed with the art style. I didn't hate it, but for me it felt like something that belonged more in a TF: Animated comic than one set on a G1'ish Cybertron where the only city in the desolate wasteland is a energy-depleted titan.


I'm with you - did not overly love it (and I loved TF Animated). I felt that it made Windblade fragile and less interesting.


I'm impressed. Before picking up this comic today, I was really worried that Windblade was going to be another Drift, but she's far from it. You mean, a character with weaknesses and massive complications to overcome?!? :eek: The art style, to me, appears to be inspired by Shojo Manga. For those who may not know, that's the style of Japanese comic book that's targeted at females (e.g. Sailormoon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKD6lTdAIP0), Utena (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyYs1Mc_XAg), Rayearth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwRnOC4viqw) et al.) - and not surprisingly, Starscream is looking rather Biseinen ('beautiful man', e.g. Weiss Kreuz (http://www.animextremist.com/imagenes/weiss-kreuz/weisskreuz15.jpg), Kenshin (http://cartoonpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Kenshin.jpg) etc.).


The bishojo characterisation were exactly what lessened my interest - especially that girly moment between Windblade and Chromia before Windblade flew off in search of Ironhide. Definitely liked Starscream's characterisation and art making him dangerous and conniving.

[i_amtrunks]

Issue #2 felt like it was going to be another slow burning setup issue, getting pieces in play.

It did and then... whammo we are right into the meat of it now. with who is down there, it should make for interesting results.

Also interesting that the plan is mostly laid bare so soon, I guess after all these years of 5 issue Furman story arcs it does seem strange to have action and plots revealed in issue #2!

I'm sure there will be plenty more, twists, turns and double turns and back stabbings!

Also, this artwork works very well for Waspinator, you can see the misery and suffering he has gone through.

[Jinto]

Is anyone else unable to buy issue #2 on Comixology? I can add it to my wish list but not purchase.

[Zommael]

Is anyone else unable to buy issue #2 on Comixology? I can add it to my wish list but not purchase.

If you're using an Apple device, you can't buy comics through the Comixology app any more. You'll have to go to the website, buy the comic through there, check out, then sync your purchases in the app as usual. Then you will be able to download it.

If you're not using an Apple, then I'm afraid I don't know. I know Amazon are bypassing Google now, but you should still be able to buy through the Android app.

[GoktimusPrime]

I love the lighting in the artwork. :) And another thing I'm really enjoying in this series is that there's a lot more of something that MTMTE and RID lack --- TRANSFORMING! Whenever 'bots want to go somewhere, they transform! I especially love the panel where Windblade hasn't transformed yet, but her VTOLs have already begun aligning themselves and firing up (so that when she does transform they're ready to punch!); a very nice touch! ;)

"Simple, disguise. Besides, it sure beats walking!"
- Trailbreaker (More Than Meets The Eye)

[Jinto]

If you're using an Apple device, you can't buy comics through the Comixology app any more. You'll have to go to the website, buy the comic through there, check out, then sync your purchases in the app as usual. Then you will be able to download it.

If you're not using an Apple, then I'm afraid I don't know. I know Amazon are bypassing Google now, but you should still be able to buy through the Android app.

Thanks, that answers my question.

[BigTransformerTrev]

I enjoyed the second issue more than the first - I'm getting used to the artwork, Starscream came off as a real sod touching Windblades wound like that (especially since as a human I couldn't help but think 'a male doing that to a female is extra shameful'), Rattrap is really developing into Starscreams stooge/evil henchman in training and the end of the issue with the Terrorcons living in Metroplex's fuel reserves makes me really excited for issue 3!

[philby]

i just read through all 4 issues, I really liked it :) what happened to nautica though? she sort of disappeared. I haven't gotten any of the RID/MTMTE after dark cybertron yet so don't know if she is in them.

[Paulbot]

i just read through all 4 issues, I really liked it :) what happened to nautica though? she sort of disappeared. I haven't gotten any of the RID/MTMTE after dark cybertron yet so don't know if she is in them.

Nautica joined the Lost Light and is a main cast member in MTMTE

[BigTransformerTrev]

Well I finally got the final issue (had to grab it off ebay in the end). It was a very interesting finale, was not expecting at all to find out that Chromia was the bomber, and the way Windblade manipulated Starscream into doing what was good for her, Chromia, the lost colonies etc by framing it in a way that it would all contribute to Starscreams personal glory and his rep as The Chosen One was very good. Overall the ending brought this 4-parter up a few levels in my opinion.

Will be interesting to see what happens in the new Windblade mini-series in the Combiner Wars comics that comes out in a few months.