Comic review: More Than Meets The Eye season 2: #28 onwards

[Paulbot]

Season 2 begins, now


Megatron assumes control of the quest to find the Knights of Cybertron—a quest that has never before been so urgent, so personal, and so likely to end in tears. An incredulous Lost Light crew is left asking the same thing you are: how exactly did it come to this?

And it's off to a great start. A fun first issue, very different to MTMTE #1 though but an evolution not a complete restart. I love this Megatron. A little cluttered down with crossover resolution stuff but by far the best of the three Dawn of the Autobots "#1"s.

[Lordy]

I enjoyed it as well, love the "Death from Face Palm" quip from Rodimus to Starscream, and Nautica's interview for a place in the Lost Light.

Will be interesting to see who or what is in the casket.

[i_amtrunks]

A very setup issue, putting things into place for the next 20+ issues, lots of things that I am sure seem like little nothings (missing letters) will probably be relevant to big twists and turns in the future, more than the warning from issue one or the changes to rewinds recording.

I have a few questions, most I know cannot be answered, and possibly not for a long time, but having Ravage on board seems a massive thing to me, and how he is there without rung or Megatron knowing seems... iffy. I wonder if this means Soundwave is getting live transmissions and what this will mean for RiD.

Is thinking that Prowl was on the other end of Whirl's transmission too obvious?

Also I'd love more Rodimus and Prowl stuff, with a bit of Magnus and Prime thrown in every now and again.

Nice crew changes too, Hotspot, Groove, Nightbeat, Hosehead, Mirage, Bluestreak as well as real newbies Riptide (love the design) and Nautica should give a few more characters to bounce things off, some story involving Nightbeat and Getaway would be awesome!

Not the best MtMtE issue, and it did not give as much information as I was hoping for, I guess we will be drip fed the trial details throughout MtMtE for the next few months, but the banter was good and the characters instantly memorable.

[Paulbot]

The unexpected Decepticon aboard the Lost Light was a nice touch. Thinking about it today the book could have established Megatron as being in command a bit more strongly, but I'll be happy to see the trial take place (via the flashbacks and then for things to move on).

[Sam]

The issue made me feel a little sorry for Bluestreak.

[Sky Shadow]

Nick Roche's cover for #31 gives us headshots of some of the new crew members as well as the old hands:

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6797/b0zm.jpg

[MayzaPrime]

Cool a NAIL is joining the crew.

RID is one of the best series that I have read.

[Paulbot]

Are you getting Dipstick (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dipstick) (who's a previous part of the crew) and Tappet (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Tappet) confused? I don't think any of the others are NAILS (although Nautical possibly is and Cyclonus is)

[MayzaPrime]

Guess that I have... :p

[GoktimusPrime]

A very enjoyable issue, although Nautica's banter about her name bugs me. It seems that IDW's insistence on embedding the Transformers with Anglo-Terra-centricism is continuing... despite the fact that Nautica has _never_ been to Earth and wouldn't have had contact with Earth languages (let alone Modern English). And please don't tell me that this is all meant to be in "Cybertronian" and that it someone "translates" to Modern English, because I find that incredibly unlikely. It wouldn't even translate over to most other Earth languages, let alone to an alien language. *deep.sigh*

Nightbeat busting Swerve's auditions was hilarious. :D And the word "Crewditions" is something that is far more plausible because you can believe that Cybertronian languages could have portmanteaus - i.e. combining whatever the Cybertronian word for "crew" and "audition" is into a single word, e.g. if the word for crew is "hop" and the word for audition is "splat," then they could make "hoplat." But the whole thing with Nautica's name seems too implausible to me.

On the other hand, it was interesting to see how the voiceless "th" vowel is difficult for some Cybertronians to pronounce (re: "Eart"). It's believable that the Cybertronians would have borrowed the English word for "Earth" to describe it in their own language (similar to how some words in Australian English (especially some place names) are borrowed from Aboriginal languages, e.g. Parramatta, Joondalup, Wollongong et al.). I appreciate stuff like this - it helps to remind the audience that the Transformers are otherworldly aliens... but then the Nautica thing flies in the complete opposite direction.

[Firestorm]

"Aaaaaaaaand we're back"
A great start to the new season, really loving MTMTE being back.
This was a fun issue with some good comedic moments (Crewditions, death by face-palm, etc) some nice action and crew interactions.
Feeling really sorry for poor Domey, his depression is so heartbreaking, and having rewind's "I love you" replaced with a horrible scream is really disturbing.... (also it felt strange having him be completely silent when Op took him to Megs' cell)
The fight between Megs and Whirl was awesome and epic, and I really can't wait to find out who Whirl is working with.
So many good moments, and so many new mysteries and this is only the start of season 2, so glad I started reading this series.
Also I totally freaked out at the last page. (you know, when they found the you know what)


A very enjoyable issue, although Nautica's banter about her name bugs me. It seems that IDW's insistence on embedding the Transformers with Anglo-Terra-centricism is continuing... despite the fact that Nautica has _never_ been to Earth and wouldn't have had contact with Earth languages (let alone Modern English). And please don't tell me that this is all meant to be in "Cybertronian" and that it someone "translates" to Modern English, because I find that incredibly unlikely. It wouldn't even translate over to most other Earth languages, let alone to an alien language. *deep.sigh*

I would just say don't think about it too much Goki, but how about this as an explanation.
During her interview Nautica mentions she changed her name from Nautical, because she likes the sound better without the 'L'. Chromia also mentions that Nautica reads, A LOT. Perhaps some of her reading material used the word nautical, so she picked up the word and took it on as a name.
We have after all seen other characters "randomly decide to change their names." (Have their names changed due to trademark issues)
Such as Goldfire, Trailcutter, Slug and Tall Tankor
So just take it as she learned the word from one of the books she read, and took it on as a name because she liked it and felt it fit her. :D

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, but names like Goldfire, Trailcutter, Slug and even Tankor (uh) are translatable into other languages. For example, if we translated those names literally into Japanese they'd be:
* Goldfire = Kin'en (金炎; "gold flames"; also sounds the same as the word for "no smoking" :p)
* Trailcutter = Senro no Kirite (線路の切り手; "trail cutter")
* Slug = Dan'yaku (弾薬; "ammunition", "munitions")
* Tankor = Sensha (戦者; a play on words, the actual word for tank is Sensha (戦車), however I've replaced the last Kanji with mono (者), referring to one who does something -- in a sense it looks like a weird translation for "warrior," but the pronunciation is the same as the word for tank)

You can see that "Tankor" is already a fairly untranslatable name to another Earth language such as Japanese, but it is kinda doable. Remember that translation is about transferring ideas and concepts from one language to another, rather than transferring sounds or even spelling (not that all languages even use alphabets). "Weltuntergang" is a German word to describe the apocalypse or Armageddon, which literally means "world (welt) going (gang) under (unter)" -- Weltuntergang. Of course, it's easy to see English words in German since English is a Germanic language. It seems an all too remarkable coincidence that Nautica, who apparently has never been to "Eart," has somehow come across a derivative of the Latin word for sailor (nauticus), in the form that English uses it in the superlative inflection of "nautical," then coincidentally decides that she doesn't like the name ending with a lateral consonant and decides to remove it, thus reverting the word back to its original Latin feminine nominative & vocative case of nautica (or possibly ablative if she stresses the final vowel). :eek: Really? She's managed to learn that much about Earth languages... but yet she cannot pronounce the voiceless dental non-sibilant fricative /θ/ (thus "Eart")?!? Really? Oh wait, she's never been to Eart before... so somehow she's come across this Latin word from another alien culture... and... uh... I mean... it's possible, but it's IMMENSELY unlikely! :o


Marge: "You…you speak English!"
Kang: "I am actually speaking Rigellian. By an astonishing coincidence, both of our languages are exactly the same."
The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror I

Yeah alright, a lot of Cybertronian names don't make sense as they are dependent on Earthen concepts which are probably untranslatable on Cybertron, such as "Bumblebee," "Hound," and "Jazz" (etc.). But I guess that I've just accepted that an suspend disbelief when, for example, playing War For and Fall Of Cybertron and hearing those names. But when the story focuses on it and plays with it, it then draws attention to something that, as a member of the audience, I've been suspending disbelief... without really providing any adequate explanation. There are a LOT of things in Transformers which are fundamentally absurd and we just suspend disbelief for - the same could be said for a lot of other scifi and fantasy stories. Fine... but you don't draw attention to it, because then it's kinda ruining the illusion and also creating an annoying distraction. It'd be like a magician showing a trick, but then also exposing a flaw to his/her trick. Of course, magic is all about distracting the audience's attention away from the 'flaws' and only allowing them to perceive the illusion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DajnbGDTidQ

[Jinto]

It seems an all too remarkable coincidence that Nautica, who apparently has never been to "Eart," has somehow come across a derivative of the Latin word for sailor (nauticus), in the form that English uses it in the superlative inflection of "nautical," then coincidentally decides that she doesn't like the name ending with a lateral consonant and decides to remove it, thus reverting the word back to its original Latin feminine nominative & vocative case of nautica (or possibly ablative if she stresses the final vowel). :eek: Really? She's managed to learn that much about Earth languages... but yet she cannot pronounce the voiceless dental non-sibilant fricative /θ/ (thus "Eart")?!? Really? Oh wait, she's never been to Eart before... so somehow she's come across this Latin word from another alien culture... and... uh... I mean... it's possible, but it's IMMENSELY unlikely! :o

I would never have made a fuss about it out loud, but yeah that kinda irked me too. :o :p

[Firestorm]

Insert "Goki's special language lesson" here

Aww, and here I thought I went all nightbeat and solved this... :o
You raise several good points though.
I forget did Nautica ever mention "eart" or was that only Windblade? Ontop of that the girls spent some time with Alpha Trion, Metroplex and most importantly Thunderclash (he's awesome and can do anything :p:cool:) so maybe she learnt a little human English from one of them.
Alternatively yes it could be the same as rigellian and modern cybertronian sounds remarkably like English. (old cybertronian clearly doesn't as evidenced by Vos and by Cyclonus' proud singing
Who knows, with everyhring IDW has touched on they may give you an explanation for the names sooner or later :D ;)

[GoktimusPrime]

Aww, and here I thought I went all nightbeat and solved this... :o
Sorry to Muzzle your sleuthing <bada-boom-tish> :p ;)

I don't recall Alpha Trion, Metroplex or Thunder Clash ever going to Earth in the IDWverse. :confused: It's not just this though, the IDW comics have long embedded Cybertronian society with notably Terran/Anglo-centricities. This is something that, IMO, Bob Budiansky was better at doing (as well as Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman if not for Michael Bay's influence :rolleyes:) -- reminding the audience that the Transformers are otherworldly aliens and not necessarily immediately familiar with Earth and humans.

[Paulbot]

We get it, you can read and speak and translate into other languages. You don't have to keep showing off and we're not students for you to educate. :rolleyes:

I feel like I've said this before but anyway:

If you're going to suspend disbelief that there are living robots in outer space, what they speak shouldn't be an issue. Is the book you want to see all in Cybertronian? The GIJoe/TF free comic book day shows you what that might look like. (Spoiler: it sucks)

You're reading the adventures of robots told by English speaking writers and artists. They translate things that these robots are saying in Cybertronian into language we understand.

Nautica's name is not Nautica. She hasn't come across Latin words. Her name is Cybertronain word that has to do with water which she has modified in some way that makes it sound more feminine; say she slowed the modulation 5% and raised the pitch 48% on the second waveform.

English writers have to translate this for English reading audience who don't commonly think about slowing modulation and raising pitch and waveforms. So they translate this into something we understand: they pick a water related term and drop a letter so they can make the equivalent type of wordplay.

People translating text from one language to another do this all the time. You did it yourself!


Tankor = Sensha (戦者; a play on words, (the actual word for tank is Sensha (戦車), however I've replaced the last Kanji with mono (者), referring to one who does something -- in a sense it looks like a weird translation for "warrior," but the pronunciation is the same as the word for tank)

You found a way to make the "Tankor" joke in Japanese without it be a literal translation. In fact you also said


Remember that translation is about transferring ideas and concepts from one language to another, rather than transferring sounds or even spelling (not that all languages even use alphabets)

And I totally agree. The writers are translating Cybertronian discussions, ideas and concepts into ones we can understand. Just the same way the translators producing the Spanish edition of MTMTE (https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/441571291263672320) will be changing wordplay jokes into ones that Spanish readers will get.

And this means we can all enjoy the comic and that's the important thing! :cool:

[GoktimusPrime]

If you're going to suspend disbelief that there are living robots in outer space, what they speak shouldn't be an issue.
Hence why I said...

Yeah alright, a lot of Cybertronian names don't make sense as they are dependent on Earthen concepts which are probably untranslatable on Cybertron, such as "Bumblebee," "Hound," and "Jazz" (etc.). But I guess that I've just accepted that an suspend disbelief when, for example, playing War For and Fall Of Cybertron and hearing those names. But when the story focuses on it and plays with it, it then draws attention to something that, as a member of the audience, I've been suspending disbelief... without really providing any adequate explanation. There are a LOT of things in Transformers which are fundamentally absurd and we just suspend disbelief for - the same could be said for a lot of other scifi and fantasy stories. Fine... but you don't draw attention to it, because then it's kinda ruining the illusion and also creating an annoying distraction. It'd be like a magician showing a trick, but then also exposing a flaw to his/her trick. Of course, magic is all about distracting the audience's attention away from the 'flaws' and only allowing them to perceive the illusion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DajnbGDTidQ


Is the book you want to see all in Cybertronian? The GIJoe/TF free comic book day shows you what that might look like. (Spoiler: it sucks)

You're reading the adventures of robots told by English speaking writers and artists. They translate things that these robots are saying in Cybertronian into language we understand.
Yes, that's fine. But it becomes difficult to continue suspending disbelief that we are reading translated Cybertronian when they started saying things that are essentially untranslatable due to being far too Terra/Anglo-Centric. Other stories commonly use existing Earth languages to represent off-world languages, e.g.
+ Star Wars; Modern English = Galactic Basic
+ Star Wars; Mongolian = Ewokese
+ The Hobbit/LotR; Modern English = Westron (a.k.a. Common Tongue)
+ The Lord of the Rings; Old English = Rohirrim (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjlxzXO1L1M)
...etc.
With the possible exception of Ewokese (which was basically Ben Burtt recording story-tellers, so they're possibly tribal folk tales), these languages don't make direct linguistic or cultural references from Earth that don't translate over to those worlds.


Nautica's name is not Nautica. She hasn't come across Latin words. Her name is Cybertronain word that has to do with water which she has modified in some way that makes it sound more feminine; say she slowed the modulation 5% and raised the pitch 48% on the second waveform.

English writers have to translate this for English reading audience who don't commonly think about slowing modulation and raising pitch and waveforms. So they translate this into something we understand: they pick a water related term and drop a letter so they can make the equivalent type of wordplay.
Yeah, I have no problem with Nautica's name as it stands. It's no better or worse than other Latin based Transformer names like Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus. What bugs me is the whole 'it was Nautical, but she didn't like her name ending with a lateral consonant so she changed it to Nautica"... thus implying that by some massive intergalactic fluke, the Cybertronian word for "Nautical" happens to bear phonetic similarity to that in Latin-derived English. It's too English-specific IMO. I would've preferred something like, "She didn't like the sound of the last consonant," -- no need to describe it, just say she didn't like it. Or just invent some phonological term that cannot be tied w/ reality -- similar to how some writers create fictional elements so as not to contradict with known science (e.g. Adamantium, Vibranium, Cybertronium, Destronium, Kryptonite, Unobtainium etc.). If you try to use something from the real world to do something that it can't, like saying creating nuclear fission (http://bestmilitarysurplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/military-compass-300x169.jpg) from tritium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium), or Jetfire stepping out of the Smithsonian in Washington straight into a desert in Arizona (even Bay admits that this doesn't make sense in the DVD audio commentary) etc.; then it's harder for the audience to suspend disbelief.

I don't have a problem with derivated names like Nautica, Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus etc. Let's face it, all names from Cybertron are derivations. It's just when they start making explicit references to English phonology in the name that I'm no longer to suspend disbelief in that moment. Seeing elements that make the Transformers, particularly those who have never been to Earth, seem too Terra-centric, kinda spoils the fantasy... like seeing Bigfoot with a wristwatch (http://deadhomersociety.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/mr-plow5_.png). ;)

[i_amtrunks]

So does anyone think the missing nucleon rods, pyro bots, letters and numbers, the change in Rewinds recording and the dray blast all may have something to do with the ships history? We know Nightbeat was intrigued by the ship when he found out Hotrod had the Lost Light...

[Trent]

So does anyone think the missing nucleon rods, pyro bots, letters and numbers, the change in Rewinds recording and the dray blast all may have something to do with the ships history? We know Nightbeat was intrigued by the ship when he found out Hotrod had the Lost Light...

Probably. Is Nighbeat on The Lost Light now? Or was he just ruining Swerve's fun because he could?

[Paulbot]

He's on board, the scene with him and Skids checking on Chromedome is "today".

All those things "missing" must be connected, but I assume it's also connected in someway to what Megatron says about rewriting history: "every day, little edits"... As if someone is editing the Lost Light in a physical way. Another behind the scenes villain perhaps?

[GoktimusPrime]

I love these little breadcrumb clues which only make sense in hindsight. :) I find it reminiscent of Furman's writing during G1. The things that seem to matter the least matter the most. :D Ooooh, what is with that missing number? ;)

[Lordy]

He's on board, the scene with him and Skids checking on Chromedome is "today".

All those things "missing" must be connected, but I assume it's also connected in someway to what Megatron says about rewriting history: "every day, little edits"... As if someone is editing the Lost Light in a physical way. Another behind the scenes villain perhaps?
I reckon it has everything to do with that "blackout" and the coffin.

[i_amtrunks]

So, no spoilers as yet, but wow. :eek:

We are shown who/what is in the coffin already, see some great stuff in Megatrons trial, heaps of fun goofing off at Swerves, some more Nightbeat, as well as seeing the monster bots back. To top it all off, we see an old friend for a bit, which leads to more mysterious disappearances.

There's some great stuff with Megatron and a former b lister, as well as the usual plethora of one liners and other clever references to previous issues.

Art is brilliant, colours are not as bright as Burchams, but still very nice.

When you read it, check out Prowl's shoulder missiles... The missiles have mini missiles on missiles... Overkill in a courtroom setting? (Not the dinosaur tape either!)

[Paulbot]

This issue seemed like a middle act, which I guess it is. Still great moments though. Playing who's who with the crew is fun. There seemed to be a Doctor Who joke but I'm not totally sure.

Starscream's testimony was amazing. I'm really glad Roberts gets to do the trial of Megatron.

Last issue the "things are missing" seemed like a subtle background plot that would simmer for a while. Seems I was wrong about that.

[GoktimusPrime]

I quite liked the "Data Ghost" thing... makes the story actually feel like a scary movie to me! :eek:


heaps of fun goofing off at Swerves,
Speaking of which, if you look closely you can see Groove practising Diffusion (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Diffusion), having placed Streetwise into submission (with Streetwise furiously tapping out ;)). Considering Groove's pacifistic (http://www.seibertron.com/comics/universe/original/index.php?tf_id=groove) nature (http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/decoder.asp?CharName=Groove&ImgURL=/archive/techspecs/autobot/1986/ts_groove.jpg), it would be completely in character for him to be proficient in a passive/non-aggressive Cybertronian martial art like Diffusion. :D Later when we see the response team enter Megatron's quarters to confront Trailcutter, you can see that Groove has also drawn his gun... I'm assuming that it's set to Stun. :p

Also special kudos to Tailgate for being the only dude in the entire issue who transforms! :rolleyes:

[BigTransformerTrev]

I'm kinda glad that Megs permanently activated Trailcutters FIM chip, I didn't really like how Trailcutter was just becoming a drunk and it will expand his character by putting him in a security role. The mysteries for this new adventure are already being set up well (Rodimus' corpse, Rewinds ghost etc) and interesting that they mixed up the crew while keeping the staples such as Magnus, Swerve, Whirl, Skids etc. I have yet to see Getaway in the new crew, I hope he stayed because I was enjoying his character.

Full marks MTMTE writers - only 2 issues in post Dark Cybertron and this is already shaping up awesome!






Also special kudos to Tailgate for being the only dude in the entire issue who transforms! :rolleyes:

Yeah, like you also said in the Windblade review (that I forgot to quote) that I totally agree with, it really bugs me how little Transforming actually goes on in transformer comics these days. MTMTE is the worst of the lot in that regard. At least in the latest RID comics, while the stories are not nearly as interesting as whats happening here, there is a lot of alt-mode action :)

[Sharky]

Also special kudos to Tailgate for being the only dude in the entire issue who transforms! :rolleyes:

i dont get the need for them to transform all the time. they are transformers that is what they do but as a race they are cybertronians and they are currently residing on a spaceship, how often to you run on a plane?

because you can do it doesnt mean you have too

[BigTransformerTrev]

i dont get the need for them to transform all the time. they are transformers that is what they do but as a race they are cybertronians and they are currently residing on a spaceship, how often to you run on a plane?

because you can do it doesnt mean you have too

Yeah, I agree you dont want them transforming gratuitously, but its still nice to see them actually use their alt-modes now and then. There have been issues where it would be appropriate for them to be in alt-mode (battles, getting from A to B etc) and they havent bothered.

Now that I actually remember, Nightbeat and Cromedome did transform in that issue as well to get to Nightbeats office :o

[i_amtrunks]

Goks not going to like this one, I do not recall a single transformation! :p

The story more than makes up for it as it twists, turns and pulls the wool over your eyes multiple times.

The courtroom drama comes to a conclusion that I was underwhelmed with, but makes sense. It'll be setting up the DJD in the future. The coffin saga is the main focus for much of the issue, but the disappearing ship takes centre stage at the end. Through in some lovely Ratchet, Nightbeat, tailgate and Megatron lines, as well as a brilliant invention and it is another solid and enjoyable read.

[GoktimusPrime]

I mentioned the lack of transformations to Chris Ryall, and he conceded that it was a fair point and that in trying to write the Transformers as "people" (which is what allows IDW writers to make them such great characters), they can at times 'forget' that these are transforming alien robots. For example, when they were abandoning the Lost Light, surely there would be a different evacuation procedure for Transformers with interstellar flight modes (e.g. Cyclonus) as opposed to those who don't. Wouldn't it make sense for those w/ flight modes to say evacuate to a hangar where they can immediately transform and fly out, while the rest of the crew board life boats? It would make evacuations a lot more efficient and faster rather than attempting to force everyone to queue up for life boats when some of them could just fly out themselves. As I mentioned to Ryall, transforming should be second nature to the Transformers. Something they would naturally do without having to think about it. One example I mentioned to him was when Tyrest escaped, and the prison guard ran a long distance to inform Ratchet(?) and was described as being utterly exhausted by time he made the report. Why didn't he transform and roll or fly (or even run as an animal)? :confused: Why run when you can transform and put the pedal to the metal?

But storywise I found it enjoyable. :) Megatron's become a more interesting character, and the mystery of the Lost Light is also quite intriguing. ;) Some of my favourite bits from the dialogue included the banter between Brainstorm and Perceptor about comparing the size of their theories (and Perceptor ultimately owning Brainstorm ;)), and the "crisises," "crises" thing between Rodimus and Ultra Magnus.

[Lordy]

I enjoyed that issue, even the small parts in it, like Bluestreak's Earth movie marathron (it's good to see Bluestreak getting some quality character time), Cyclonus getting annoyed at Tailgate over the Luna 1 story and Ratchet mentioning he was one of the members of the Lost Light who voted against Rodimus being captain.

[i_amtrunks]

Pretty crap first few days for Trailbreaker as head of security though, he lost the entire ship!

More rodpod scenes will be good next month.

[i_amtrunks]

Love the smaller focused crew in issue #31, it's a character driven bottle episode with next to no action, but lots of dialogue and character building.

Loving this mystery and cannot wait for the solution!

[Paulbot]

The release pattern seems all over the place. Wasn't expecting a new issue so soon.

[i_amtrunks]

The release pattern seems all over the place. Wasn't expecting a new issue so soon.

I think the different artist on this issue may be why it was ready so early, possibly had more time than the usual couple of weeks to illustrate.

[Lordy]

It was an enjoyable issue. It's too bad they had Rojo doing the artwork, because I am not a fan of his. Would've like to have Roche do the fill in for Milne.

This storyline seems to be a long one, just like The Remain in Light storyline. Will be interesting to see what the Megatron/Ravage angle will bring.

[Paulbot]

Interesting how by creative use of recap pages this issue is longer than usual. I'd read about some Marvel comics doing similar: reducing the pages the artist needs to draw but giving a slightly longer reading experience.

[i_amtrunks]

I must admit that I missed swerves catch up, but with his bar gone, I suppose it makes sense.
Plus he got some good one liners in with Skids.

I wonder if the disappearing bots has anything to do with some gadget or device of Tyrest's or Luna 1 calling them back, including the Lost Light?

[SMHFConvoy]

I think the different artist on this issue may be why it was ready so early, possibly had more time than the usual couple of weeks to illustrate.

Ha that's funny.

You know that it takes over a month to produce a comic? Lettering, colouring, editing and getting Hasbro's okay. It all takes time.

At Marvel in the 80's the comic you read would have been in production 8 months in advance

[Paulbot]

I must admit that I missed swerves catch up, but with his bar gone, I suppose it makes sense.
Plus he got some good one liners in with Skids.

I wonder if the disappearing bots has anything to do with some gadget or device of Tyrest's or Luna 1 calling them back, including the Lost Light?

Given the mystery's solution that wouldn't really work.

Swerve's recap pages remind me so much of the Cable/Deadpool series recap pages (also character(s) on white background talking to the reader, that if they so come back I hope they let other characters cameo on them too.

[i_amtrunks]

Ha that's funny.

You know that it takes over a month to produce a comic? Lettering, colouring, editing and getting Hasbro's okay. It all takes time.

At Marvel in the 80's the comic you read would have been in production 8 months in advance

Fully aware that it takes months to produce a single comic. That's why this issues artist Rojo would have had more time that Milne, since Milne has had issues back to back as well as events and cons to get to as well.

[Sky Shadow]

You know that it takes over a month to produce a comic?

That's not actually right. It takes over a month to produce some comics. Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley produced 110 consecutive issues of Ultimate Spider-Man in less than seven years, producing about sixteen issues a year.

[GoktimusPrime]

Love the smaller focused crew in issue #31, it's a character driven bottle episode with next to no action, but lots of dialogue and character building.
I'd say it does have action, more in the form of intense emotional action that has the audience at the edge of their seats! :D And I personally didn't mind that there wasn't any transforming in it, since they're within the confines of the Rod Pod. What gets me is when the Transformers have the opportunity to transform, and in that situation, transforming would make more sense (than say, running), but they don't. This issue didn't present the characters with any scenarios that would have solicited the use of alt modes, so I'm fine with it. :)

Some of the lettering was rather sloppy though, and 'Ravage' was misspelt as "Ravege" when Megatron was touch-talking* with him. Which kinda felt like a character spoiler for me -- okay, now we know that Megatron's defection is a feint, but I kinda wish now that I didn't know this. It would've made his eventual betrayal of the Autobots all the more shocking, as until now, I actually believed that Megatron had reformed. And it's kinda disappointing in a way too, because I wanted to see Megatron actually change into something more noble... and give others (like say Galvatron) more of a chance to shine as the primary antagonist for the Autobots. :o

---------------------------------------------------------------------
*I found that this was pretty interesting. For those who may not know, tactile signing is actually a real thing - it's how people who are both blind and deaf communicate (e.g. Australian tactile alphabet (http://www.deafblind.org.au/content-images/Gallery/dbman2.gif)). :)

[Paulbot]

I think their conversation is ambiguous. Ravage is surprised to see Megatron trusted, Megatron acknowledges that he's still got a long way to go - not that it's necessarily a trick, he might actually be trying a new path and its something Ravage would be questioning.

[Paulbot]

Also, if Megatron was rusty in that language he may have misspelt Ravage accidentally, hence that's not a creator mistake but a character's mistake. No-prize worthy? ;)

[i_amtrunks]

I didn't take Megatron and Ravages hand speak to indicate that he is faking his change of faction. Only that he has a way to go to garner their trust.

Hopefully Ravage is not there to spy on Megatron for Soundwave, that'd be too obvious for James Roberts.

[bassbot]

A very enjoyable issue, although Nautica's banter about her name bugs me. It seems that IDW's insistence on embedding the Transformers with Anglo-Terra-centricism is continuing... despite the fact that Nautica has _never_ been to Earth and wouldn't have had contact with Earth languages (let alone Modern English). And please don't tell me that this is all meant to be in "Cybertronian" and that it someone "translates" to Modern English, because I find that incredibly unlikely. It wouldn't even translate over to most other Earth languages, let alone to an alien language. *deep.sigh*

Nightbeat busting Swerve's auditions was hilarious. :D And the word "Crewditions" is something that is far more plausible because you can believe that Cybertronian languages could have portmanteaus - i.e. combining whatever the Cybertronian word for "crew" and "audition" is into a single word, e.g. if the word for crew is "hop" and the word for audition is "splat," then they could make "hoplat." But the whole thing with Nautica's name seems too implausible to me.

On the other hand, it was interesting to see how the voiceless "th" vowel is difficult for some Cybertronians to pronounce (re: "Eart"). It's believable that the Cybertronians would have borrowed the English word for "Earth" to describe it in their own language (similar to how some words in Australian English (especially some place names) are borrowed from Aboriginal languages, e.g. Parramatta, Joondalup, Wollongong et al.). I appreciate stuff like this - it helps to remind the audience that the Transformers are otherworldly aliens... but then the Nautica thing flies in the complete opposite direction.

In this video (http://www.allspark.com/content/2014/07/botcon-2014-video-of-james-robertss-june-20-panel/) - about halfway through - James directly responds to this point. I never have a problem because they're aliens so I go with his point. Everything from their dialogue to the symbols on the ship is translated for us.

[bassbot]

I think their conversation is ambiguous. Ravage is surprised to see Megatron trusted, Megatron acknowledges that he's still got a long way to go - not that it's necessarily a trick, he might actually be trying a new path and its something Ravage would be questioning.

I also got this ambiguity. Perhaps he's making sure Ravage doesn't get off'd by Tailgate.

[Paulbot]

I missed it until just now, distracted by Whirl's avatar in the art and sitting in the cinema waiting for AOE, but in #30 Brainstorm is seen getting around his faceplate by "drinking" his fuel by pouring it directly into his fueltank by an arm port. :)

[Lordy]

Just read the latest issue - #32. Oh wow :eek:

Absolute destruction wrecked by the DJD. It is interesting to pin point when the DJD attacked the Lost Light, but will be interesting to see what the fall out is.

I loved the pairing up of characters, like Skids and Getaway, Nightbeat and Nactica and Megatron and Ravage. I found the discussion Megs and Ravage were having was very interesting and hopefully sets the tone for Megs for the rest of the IDW universe.

And Rewind is back!

[i_amtrunks]

It seems that this other Lost Light has had a different journey, no Megatron or the other recent additions on board, Overlord and Drift still on board, but still not Fort Max or Red Alert (I think).

It's a cheat to get Rewind back, but the feels it will be mined for will make it worthwhile I am sure.

Art was a mixed bag, some of the death shots and spreads were gorgeous, the panels with Ravage and Megatron very weak, especially how Ravage turned into a frill necked lizard at times.

As always, the writing and characterisation was interesting, although the Nautica and Nightbeat in the elevator panels bothers and interests me, why was it out of order??? Surely an intentional mix up!

[Lordy]

As always, the writing and characterisation was interesting, although the Nautica and Nightbeat in the elevator panels bothers and interests me, why was it out of order??? Surely an intentional mix up!
It was a gag done by Roberts to give you the idea of how powerful the briefcase is. So powerful that even when it is empty it can warp time! Remember just before Nautica kicked the briefcase she mentioned that the space around them was fairly damaged from teleports and other weird stuff.

[Firestorm]

Wow, volume 32 was.. wow...
utter carnage and plenty of nightmare fuel.
so many questions raised, god I love this series.
Nautica's newly improved Sonic Wrench is cool. and I'm sure we'll see plenty more of her wrench's billion uses (mostly the useless ones) this is a brainstorm invention after all.

The scene where Megatron realises that he could be the killer was hilarious. time travel is so confusing. although it now looks like it's not time travel but something else.

and that last panel, I literally screamed out that characters name and started to get emorional (at 5am) when I saw them alive and .... well? gotta wonder what they've been through given the rest of the ship, and now a Megatron with an Autobot Insignia has strolled in and picked you up.

CAN. NOT. WAIT! for the next issue

[BigTransformerTrev]

Argh! My whole review just got deleted :(:mad: Ah well, I'll just type some of the main points.

*I think Ravage being on board is a great idea. Megs has just been copping a bunch of behind-the-back muttering from the Autobots who don't really want him there, so it's great to have a Decepticon who has been there (the war) from the beginning to really take Megs to task on the betrayl he has done to them.

*Between time-travel and Nauticas wrench which seems to do more and more things, I'm wondering if the writers are Doctor Who fans? :p

*The usual mysteries abound and Nightbeat's inclusion in the crew has really opened up that element even more, they have such interesting plot twists in this series - it's one comic series where you really want to get to the next issue because of the plot, not just because it's going to be a good fight between Autobot A & Decepticon B.

[i_amtrunks]

So the whole alternate reality/dimension thing is explained away fairly well, it wasn't alternate realities or dimensions or anything, purely a double where after the explosion, events played out far differently.

The story moved at a cracking pace, it is another real page turner, with gorgeous art and colours again. The writing is driven forward by the characters developing and learning and changing. (but not transforming, sorry Gok!)

There is one reveal in this issue that is a complete blindside and I do not think anyone anywhere has even dreamt of, it is that far left of field, but I am interested to seeing where it leads to.

The Megatron and Ravage stuff is great, Ravage as a whole is fantastic, as bad as he looks in this series. The whole issue is well done and enjoyable, a good semi-wrap up to the mystery we have had since the DC event. It has set up more intrigue to come, and here is hoping we may get some DJD vs. Lost Light in issues to come!

[GoktimusPrime]

Wow. I totally did not see that coming. A very engaging story! :D I like how this issue answers so many questions, while creating whole new ones!
e.g. Rewind? Two briefcases? Dafudge happened with Brainstorm at the bar!? :eek:

The writing is driven forward by the characters developing and learning and changing.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/th_bay_wtf_zps7b6ad343.jpg :p

The Megatron and Ravage stuff is great, Ravage as a whole is fantastic, as bad as he looks in this series.
I love the dynamic between Ravage and Nautica! :D I want a Nautica toy, damnit! And a Riptide one as well! Gah! Stop freakin' usin' non-toy characters! Okay, maybe with Nautica they had to since there aren't a lot of female Autobots to choose from... but surely they could've used another existing toy instead of Rip Tide. I'm personally using Sharp Edge in place of Riptide in my toy play, although of course Rip Tide's alt mode would appear to be more like Energon Mirage. Not that it matters since noone ever freakin' transforms! :p :rolleyes:

Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye

[Paulbot]

You know sometimes you read something, and then you've got the urge to go back and read again... I've got that now, for all of MTMTE and possibly Bullets as well.

Also I think Megatron has one of his best ever lines in this issue, the one about sacrifice. Loved it.

[Lordy]

You know sometimes you read something, and then you've got the urge to go back and read again... I've got that now, for all of MTMTE and possibly Bullets as well.

Also I think Megatron has one of his best ever lines in this issue, the one about sacrifice. Loved it.
I also like Megatron's answer to Nightbeat about /!\SPOILERS/!\ the undercover Decepticon agents, and Megatron hinting that he wanted Nightbeat as an agent. Considering how Nightbeat was mindwashed by the Dark Universe, it doesn't seem to out of order. I need to read all the MTMTE issues to see if I can see hints about Brainstorm. One of the hints is shown in issue 29, where he is at Swerve's bar drinking from a tube in his arm

[Paulbot]

Of course! Ten posts ago I thought that was just an amusing throwaway art gag.

This could be the second time (with the same character!) everything we thought was wrong.

[Sky Shadow]

Wow.

[Jinto]

Legendary writing in this comic series. Every issue is more surprises and this one was by far the craziest. I can't stop wondering what Ravage's response was/will be to Megatron's question about 'being a part of it'.


/!\SPOILERS/!\ One of the hints is shown in issue 29, where he is at Swerve's bar drinking from a tube in his arm

How does doing that indicate the secret thing we're all talking about?

Also, I thought the point of this thread was we didn't have to worry about spoilers?

[Paulbot]

I think there's spoilers and then there's spoilers. And I think this issue's reveal was huge enough that it deserved to be kept under wraps on the day the book came out in shops here.

Of course it's still up in the air exactly what it means ongoing, doubt it's as straightforward as it appears, but it's a great hook for a cliffhanger.

[i_amtrunks]

I think it may be a huge serve of misdirection.

Brainstorm is a massive coward, and I wouldn't put it past him to have painted the con symbol on the faceplate as a last ditch "hey wait I am one of you" effort to get out of being shot.

For the moment I am just as suspicious of rewind, though in all likelihood, whoever opened the slow time cell for the DJD was annihilated by them anyway, it's not like the DJD would really care about one Decepticon agent, or perhaps the agent was taken out by an Autobot at some point?

Anywho, it gives us a massive talking point or seven to whittle away the next month.

[Sky Shadow]

I think it may be a huge serve of misdirection.

Brainstorm is a massive coward, and I wouldn't put it past him to have painted the con symbol on the faceplate as a last ditch "hey wait I am one of you" effort to get out of being shot.

It's definitely far from adding up at this point, but Brainstorm has clearly lived a life of being underappreciated by the Autobots and wants his ego stroked. Maybe the Decepticons were the ones to actually do that.


For the moment I am just as suspicious of rewind

Do you have no heart, man? :p

[i_amtrunks]

It's definitely far from adding up at this point, but Brainstorm has clearly lived a life of being underappreciated by the Autobots and wants his ego stroked. Maybe the Decepticons were the ones to actually do that.

You'd think that they would want his weaponry and intelligence working for them, rather than creating effective weapons for their enemies! I guess the spying so far up in high command outweighs the weapons? That is assuming Brainstorm is the mole.


Do you have no heart, man? :p

Nope! :p

[Sky Shadow]

You'd think that they would want his weaponry and intelligence working for them, rather than creating effective weapons for their enemies!

Unless he was responsible for all the Decepticons' good weapons - maybe Brainstorm snuck those out and the reason the Autobots think he's a joke is because it's only the ridiculous weapons he has left.

[Sharky]

Brainstorm is a Skrull....

[GoktimusPrime]

Brainstorm is a Skrull....
lololololololol :D

[philby]

I might have to read it again but I'm confused....if Rewind died and the alternate universe Rewind will disappear when they fix the engine thing, which Rewind is still there at the end and how?

[Paulbot]

You are right to be confused, it's an unresolved mystery (as the characters comment on). More to be explained in future stories I'd bet, but it's the "alt" Rewind there at the end.

[Sharky]

And I also wonder if this applies to other bots lost during travels like pipes

[Bidoofdude]

I accidentally got this spoiled for me by a Facebook comment. I looked it up, seeing as there was no surprise. It's pretty shocking.

[Paulbot]

And I also wonder if this applies to other bots lost during travels like pipes

I would think not... I think Rewind is a special case because he was the survivor of Lost Light B. But then there's the briefcase stuff. I also am not 100% convinced Rewind from Lost Light a is actually dead. The mystery of Lost Light B was easier than the mysteries that have come afterwards.

[Sky Shadow]

I might have to read it again but I'm confused....if Rewind died and the alternate universe Rewind will disappear when they fix the engine thing, which Rewind is still there at the end and how?

They theorised that he would disappear - it turned out that he didn't.

[Sharky]

They theorised that he would disappear - it turned out that he didn't.

but maybe he did and the original rewind that went out with overlord rematerialised in his place (like paulbots theory he still lives)...

:p

[BigTransformerTrev]

I'm wondering, especially given the Generations Brainstorm toy coming out, if since the Decepticon symbol is shown to be on the inside of the mouthplate if it turns out that Brainstorm is a headmaster. The original Brainstorm got his head knocked off and a Decepticon headmaster (Arcana maybe?) took its place to infiltrate the Autobot ranks. Possible I guess.

[philby]

Ok thanks, I guess maybe we have to wait and see.

Another thing...I find a talking Ravage really weird...I guess watching the old cartoons recently to me Ravage and Laserbeak were just sort of animal minions who didn't talk because..they were animals...same with Ratbat in RID comics. It just feels off to me :p

[Paulbot]

Ravage (and most of the others) can talk in basically all G1 media from the 80s except the cartoon. Even on the toy boxes they had quotes. The cartoon was clearly biased again any robot that didn't look human. ;)

[philby]

Ravage (and most of the others) can talk in basically all G1 media from the 80s except the cartoon. Even on the toy boxes they had quotes. The cartoon was clearly biased again any robot that didn't look human. ;)

haha ok sure. still just seems strange to me!

when are the next issues out?

[Jinto]

Ravage (and most of the others) can talk in basically all G1 media from the 80s except the cartoon. Even on the toy boxes they had quotes. The cartoon was clearly biased again any robot that didn't look human. ;)

And thanks to Beast Wars we know he has a Slavic accent. :D

[BigTransformerTrev]

Ravage (and most of the others) can talk in basically all G1 media from the 80s except the cartoon. Even on the toy boxes they had quotes. The cartoon was clearly biased again any robot that didn't look human. ;)

I think Ravage has one line in the first few episodes of the G1 Cartoon. He radioed Megs and SWave while he was captured by the Autobots.

[Paulbot]

My take on it is he doesn't speak in the cartoon-verse, since that one line comes only when he's in tape mode inside Soundwave and playing back information. I assume it's some sort of text/date-to-voice type translation going on.

Your mileage may vary.

[Sky Shadow]

Last night I dreamt that if I unscrewed the back of the new Brainstorm toy's head, I could see an upside-down Decepticon symbol behind his faceplate. Not sure if an upside-down Decepticon symbol means the same as a right-side up one, or if it's akin to a Combatron symbol, and thus it means 'good'. My subconscious is odd.

[GoktimusPrime]

If you unscrew the back of your G1 Brainstorm's head, you'd see this (http://hugequestions.com/Eric/Dumb-down/contortionist.JPG) :p

[i_amtrunks]

DAYUM!!!

Other than having an awesome cover that even my wife loved, this comic reads far too fast and leaves so many questions.

And finally leave you saying "damn you Roberts!".

Art was good too, very Roche styled.

[Paulbot]

Don't agree on the art, thought it was a bit weak and the bots looked a bit off (too flat / human?). But agree on the dayum!

[Lord_Zed]

Excellent issue, what seemed like it might just be a fun side story instead offered further insight into one of the lead characters, held a lot of set up, and some shocking surprises.

I also think the art was the weakest link, it wasn't bad but the layouts all seemed a bit simplistic. I know Mainframe is an Action Master, but Bluestreak also looks like he's had a bit too much nucleon.

[GoktimusPrime]

GGRAAAAAAAAAAARGH! Right in the feels! :eek: :o
And they even managed to have Transformers transforming (First Aid rushing off in ambulance mode, Kaon being a robot in disguise) amid all this emotional drama! :D

And I get the feeling that the DJD wouldn't stand down even if Megatron directly ordered them to face to face. Where are their tooooys?!?

[Sky Shadow]

#35: Wow. "1984" indeed. Also, Deal or No Deal. And I loved Megatron's breakdown over the ridiculous stuff that happens on the Lost Light.

[Sky Shadow]

Just read this in a comment on a less-amazing site "The comics intended for toy pack-ins are produced way, way ahead of schedule, so that they can be ready for the toys. For instance, MTMTE #22, Skids' pack-in issue, was written before MTMTE #16, half a year early."

I'm rereading More Than Meets The Eye from the beginning now, so I might see if it's noticeable, but that's crazy/weird/impressive if Roberts and Barber are not just throwing toys into their stories, but also throwing out their writing schedule in order to do it.

[Paulbot]

Just read this in a comment on a less-amazing site "The comics intended for toy pack-ins are produced way, way ahead of schedule, so that they can be ready for the toys. For instance, MTMTE #22, Skids' pack-in issue, was written before MTMTE #16, half a year early."

I'm rereading More Than Meets The Eye from the beginning now, so I might see if it's noticeable, but that's crazy/weird/impressive if Roberts and Barber are not just throwing toys into their stories, but also throwing out their writing schedule in order to do it.

It definitely played a part in MTMTE#22, I've seen Roberts commenting on it somewhere (twitter maybe?) as that issue really doesn't fit the flow of the book. The other issues included in toys not so much as the other (early) toy pack in books were mostly the Spotlights (produced early) and then the Dark Cybertron crossover issues.

Edit: here's where I saw James talking about it, the IDW forums (http://boards.idwpublishing.com/3/viewtopic.php?p=353870&sid=ccb9bf340f36ca70fa91046771e57ca9#p353870)

[i_amtrunks]

So, do we think #35 is the new reality, a side reality, a possible reality or only a short lived reality?

This will either be awesome like Shadowplay, or fizzle out at the end like "Remain in Light".

[Paulbot]

Short lived new reality. Given this was just a prologue it might be so short lived that we might not even revisit it (based on next issue's cover and solicitation)

I see this like the few minutes in Star Trek First Contact where, protected by the temporal wake, the Enterprise can see the Borg-conquered Earth even though their existence should have been wiped out by the changes to the timeline. And like that film I expect the next few issues will be our heroes back in time trying to set things right.

[Sky Shadow]

I expect the next few issues will be our heroes back in time trying to set things right.

Looks that way. Target: 6,000,002 BC.

http://s24.postimg.org/wl3r7iyj9/Target.jpg

[i_amtrunks]

I thought it was all done just to kill off a Rewind again. :p

But the big focus on Minimus has me interested if he has another big role to play.

[Sky Shadow]

#36. That phonecall. Two of the most tear-inducingly beautiful pages of Transformerdom in thirty years. And then the very next page delivers yet another one.

[Lordy]

It was a great issue. I liked Whirl's question about which guns they could take from Brainstorm's armory ending the conversation with "Shhh. On second thought, let's keep it ambiguous"

Also that ending :(

[i_amtrunks]

The three panels of Whirl inquiring about weapons was the best non heart wrenching item in the issue, and I wonder when we get the payoff...

Everything else was beautifully written, I am loving the setup, even if we didn't even see Brainstorm this issue. I do wonder if that is the last of a Roller and if we might see Trailcutter in the next jump...

[Paulbot]

#36. That phonecall. Two of the most tear-inducingly beautiful pages of Transformerdom in thirty years.

That was a brilliant scene

[bassbot]

That was a brilliant scene

This scene and the Whirl one were the two that had me react the most for different reasons. So much pathos in the Orion and Megatron call.

[GoktimusPrime]

Right in the feels! :D I'm also getting a "Target: 2006" vibe from this story as well; and the way that the Future TFs appear so dramatically is somewhat reminiscent of how it was done in G1... only not as freaky with the whole mass displacement thing. :o

This panel made me literally laugh out loud...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/mtmte36whirlgaol_zps7693041e.jpg

...and this nearly had me in tears. :eek:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/mtmte36trailbreaker_zps06cb0504.jpg

[philby]

http://www.hipsterpig.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/fc550x550black404.jpg

[Paulbot]

Finally a new issue is available and it was worth the wait. Even a longer than normal page count for no extra cost ;) . I always say MTMTE is worth rereading because Roberts is playing a long game, and this issue reinforces that again. Now the wait for the next issue (and trying not to speculate too much on what is going to happen - although it's too late I already have guesses).

[prjkt]

So much win in that last issue. Tie ins and references galore, and that final frame....

[Jinto]

Oh man, I never want this series to end. So much interlaced storytelling and beautiful artwork.

[i_amtrunks]

Loving Whirl, as always and this 'new' Rewind keeps sending off all the wrong signals that are so obvious that they must be a red herring.

The continuation of the Ultra Magnus gag continues to amuse, as well as show all is not well, and finally someone noticed Rung!

[Jinto]

Loving Whirl, as always and this 'new' Rewind keeps sending off all the wrong signals that are so obvious that they must be a red herring.

The continuation of the Ultra Magnus gag continues to amuse, as well as show all is not well, and finally someone noticed Rung!

Heh, poor Past-Rung. Why did Stormy knock him out though?

Also, anyone recognize the bystander Whirl murdered? That's sure to have consequences.

[Paulbot]

Heh, poor Past-Rung. Why did Stormy knock him out though?

Presumably to stop the bar brawl happening, not knowing that was always future Rung. Or rather the "wrong Rung".

[Jinto]

Presumably to stop the bar brawl happening, not knowing that was always future Rung. Or rather the "wrong Rung".

I thought about that, but then wouldn't Future-Rung have remembered being there from the original timeline? He would have known his old self would be at that brawl already and avoided it so as to not run into his former self.

Who knows. #TimeIsTricky

[Paulbot]

I thought about that, but then wouldn't Future-Rung have remembered being there from the original timeline? He would have known his old self would be at that brawl already and avoided it so as to not run into his former self.

Who knows. #TimeIsTricky

A couple of issues ago Megatron reminded Rung that they met at that bar. Rung had no memory of it and Megatron assumed it was because Rung was unconscious.

But we now know Rung didn't remember because it hadn't happened to him yet. It was always the time traveling Rung in that bar. So Megatron was talking about something from his past that he didn't know was from Rung's future.

[i_amtrunks]

A couple of issues ago Megatron reminded Rung that they met at that bar. Rung had no memory of it and Megatron assumed it was because Rung was unconscious.

But we now know Rung didn't remember because it hadn't happened to him yet. It was always the time traveling Rung in that bar. So Megatron was talking about something from his past that he didn't know was from Rung's future.

Mmmmm self fulfilling time travel.

Also explains why only two heavies jumped Chromedome a year later, future Whirl killed the third.

[Paulbot]

Also, anyone recognize the bystander Whirl murdered? That's sure to have consequences.

I don't recognise the robot, but looking at the scene again and I think that's possibly a cliffhanger. Who knows what Brainstorm's weapon actually does other than make a Choom sound. Hmm.

[i_amtrunks]

I don't recognise the robot, but looking at the scene again and I think that's possibly a cliffhanger. Who knows what Brainstorm's weapon actually does other than make a Choom sound. Hmm.

Green spark injector??? :D

[SMHFConvoy]

In regards to this issue I have a little theory about the act of empurata (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Empurata); after the mechanoid's hand/s or head (or both) are removed and replaced what happens to the originals?

Maybe, they're not destroyed. Ratchet made good use of Pharma's hands (okay, not the rite of empurata but you see where I'm going with this - hopefully.)

[drahsrebu]

this series is absolutely brilliant. love it!

[philby]

i'll probably go through it again to check, but what was megatrons connection to the battle over the spark hotspot involving roller? megatron and the crew decided that brainstorm was going back in time to kill orion pax, but then later decided he was actually following megatrons past. i don't remember a connection between that event and megatron. was there something else important happening at that specific time involving megatron somewhere else, and the crew just jumped to where orion pax was because of their first theory which turns out to be incorrect? do we get told something else happened?

[Paulbot]

Yes its explained, the Hotspot incident (which took place 1st Cycle 502 as established during the phone call ) is a date Megatron points out as important in #37 (it's the day he first killed somebody).

[philby]

ah ok thanks

[Jinto]

New comic tomorrowwwwwwwwwwww!


http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg12/sean4all/tumblr_mvjk31mQNn1qe0my3o1_500.jpg (http://s244.photobucket.com/user/sean4all/media/tumblr_mvjk31mQNn1qe0my3o1_500.jpg.html)

[prjkt]

Well. That was intense. So many references back to the start of the series, and what IS Rung?

[i_amtrunks]

Is Rung a multiversal constant now? Because I'd be more than cool with that.

A lovely end to another sensational mini and we now know who sent the message we gpt at the beginning of the series, that as Cyclonus pointed out was lucky to be ignored. Still suss on new Rewind and the reasons behind Brainstorm being a Con didnt ring true to me. Lots of fallout to come.

The changing of the area around Rodimus and Cyclonus bugs me, I know that will be something important.

Here is hoping to the DJD being back in focus next.

[Paulbot]

I was a little disappointed that the conclusion was pretty much what I had guessed it would be, predestination time loops and all.

But there were plenty of good moments, Megatron had four of them! and Brainstorm's motivation was unexpected.


The changing of the area around Rodimus and Cyclonus bugs me, I know that will be something important.


After my second read, what I think happened was that they just launched The Lost Light for the first time, and they were left behind in the hangar.

[Jinto]

Brainstorm's motivation was unexpected.

Not just that, there was no explanation given for his Decepticon logo.

BS "Why would I try & kill Pax?"
RT "you're a Decepticon!"
BS "Oh, you know about that?"

That's it. So he's a Decepticon who's only intention is to kill Megatron? :confused:

Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed everything else about this comic. Megatron was born as a 0.1%er, who's spark has time traveled back from millions of years in the future. Oh and he's also the only bot ever from Luna 1, the missing moon. And he was created by Whirl to spite the Functionists. :p
I love this series.

Can you imagine what Megatron would be thinking when he found out? 'Holy shit, Brainstorm's been carrying my unborn spark around in his briefcase for the last month'.
Speaking of Megatron, what Roberts is doing with his personality is so great. Megs is so much richer than the bloodthirsty warlord he used to be portrayed as.

[Sharky]

has anyone else noticed the drop in quality of the paper and covers of the books?

with the dollar sucking at the moment the local CBS has upped prices on all the books almost making them to expensive for the product that is being delivered especially IDW when they were pricey to begin with

(I really wish they would follow marvels lead and include digital copies with purchase of the book)

[i_amtrunks]

You were absolutely right about the ship lauch, spark eater and dead turbofoxes and all. Just wasn't obvious enough to me on the digital version!

Love that the bot that Megatron has to thank for his creation is the same one that put him on the path to destroy billions of lives and thousands of planets.

I am sure we will get more on Brainstorm being a Con soon (maybe next issue with the DJD? I'm thinking double, double agent.

[Sharky]

on twitter Mr Roberts hinted that the story is not quite over.

[prjkt]

Love that the bot that Megatron has to thank for his creation is the same one that put him on the path to destroy billions of lives and thousands of planets.


I'm wondering if Megatron knew that, and that's the REAL reason he told the Decepticons to leave him alone.

[Ploughmans Lunch]

I dunno, I'm pretty iffy with time travel as it is, but there was something that really, really didn't work for me about the conclusion to this arc, if not the whole arc in general. Brainstorm's motivation (and lack of payoff about being a Decepticon sleeper agent), the creation of the Lost Light, a number of mysteries that I just felt would be better left unsolved*? I dunno. I remember reading through it and feeling there was too much going on, too much self-congratulatory back-patting, and the final scene in Swerve's just... no, no thanks.

I am looking forward to the DJD/Circle of Light/Fort Max/Return of Tyrest/Deathsaurus/Whatever though, and I hope we can more or less sidestep this admittedly very important, but (imo) badly executed arc.

But hey, at least there isn't another text story. I actually cannot stand Roberts non-comic writing.

*By this I mean I think that some mysteries werent revealed when they could've been, while some where when they really didn't need to be.

[Jinto]

I agree to some extent. They could have easily left out Cyclonus creating the spatk-eater, for example (something we'd all moved on and forgotten about because it was never a 'mystery' to begin with) and dwelt on Brainstorm's situation a bit longer.

[GoktimusPrime]

This issue felt quite 'Bill and Ted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novikov_self-consistency_principle)' to me. ;)

[BigTransformerTrev]

Not just that, there was no explanation given for his Decepticon logo.

BS "Why would I try & kill Pax?"
RT "you're a Decepticon!"
BS "Oh, you know about that?"

That's it. So he's a Decepticon who's only intention is to kill Megatron? :confused:




I am sure we will get more on Brainstorm being a Con soon (maybe next issue with the DJD? I'm thinking double, double agent.


I still think, considering that the Con symbol was found on the inside of his mouthplate that its going to have something to do with him turning out to be a Headmaster, like Brainstorm is an Autobot but Arcana is a Decepticon or something.


and the final scene in Swerve's just... no, no thanks.


Are you freakin kidding?!?! "Thats the power of love!"

We've gone from every single comic is the tired 'Con vs Bot' scenario to a bunch of half-pissed Transformers singing the theme tune to the 'Back to the Future' movies. That is pure f'ing gold my friend! :D

[prjkt]

agreed, I'm loving the bar scenes - the one mid Dark Cybertron where both 'bots and 'cons in Swerve's singing along was great

[GoktimusPrime]

agreed, I'm loving the bar scenes - the one mid Dark Cybertron where both 'bots and 'cons in Swerve's singing along was great
^Agreed. One thing that I love with MTMTE is how it punctuates intense drama and action with humour. Something which Michael Bay tries to do in the live action TF films, but only failing on an epic level.

Seeing Transformers in Swerve's bar watching Back to the Future II after a big time travel adventure = friggin' hilarious! :D
Spending an entire scene in Age of Extinction explaining why Tess and Shane can legally be together = downright creepy. :eek:

And it's just two brief panel. This (http://i.imgur.com/qEJDKiO.jpg) is how I feel every time I watch that scene from AoE <shudder> (T_T)

[bassbot]

What a finale to Elegant Chaos! This was a triumphant three-parter!

[Firestorm]

After having just finished Elegant Chaos I've gotta say that I loved it. but man. my head is spinning. ... time travel man....

a few more thoughts.
as expected, everything the bots did in the past was always meant to happen. some of these things (Rodimus' birth, Messatine, the bar brawl) I'm ok with, others I feel are a bit much (Creating the lost light, creating the spark eater)
I feel that the reasoning and payoff of Brainstorm's motivation and his true allegiance felt kinda weak. there needed to be more to build up to that and more said about it after. so hopefully this isn't the end of that plot line even if elegant chaos is over.

the bar scene at the end was a great way to more or less return things back to normal after all is said and done, and the fact that they are watching back to the future and singing along was just icing on the cake.

my biggest annoyance with this issue for some reason is the origin of the ominous message. for some reason it saddens me to know the full message, where it came from and what each event was actually referring to. "Don't Open the coffin, don't let them take skids, etc" even though they had all been resolved, I had hoped there would be more to some of them like Delphi and Skids. somehow those events just don't seem to have enough significance as they are.
this also makes me wonder if this is how Roberts always planned for the message to originate and turn out. if I remember correctly, Megatron joining the crew was never meant to happen. which makes me wonder if elegant chaos was ever going to originally happen either. was this always how Roberts saw things playing out?

somehow this really felt like it had the potential to be the FINAL chapter of MTMTE. (although if it was it would have been depressing since they would never reach the knights of cybertron) the whole setup, the origin of the message, the fact they created the engines and ship they would someday use, Domey and Rewind being "back together" it all felt like it was wrapping things up.

but clearly that is not the case and thankfully MTMTE is going to continue (Hopefully for a long LONG time because this is an AWESOME series) I'm looking forward to where things go from here.
"All hail the useless one"

[prjkt]

that scene with Rung has me wondering what he actually turns into... if the functionists were so scared of it, must be pretty out there, and completely at odds with his personality...

[GoktimusPrime]

Rung's alt mode has been revealed (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/1/1a/MTMTE22_Rung%27s_alternate_mode.jpg) way back in issue #22 (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Little_Victories). It's classified as "ornamental," and it drives functionists nuts because it doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever. It is literally an alt mode without a function.

I hope this doesn't dissuade Hasbro from producing a Rung toy though. The toy could still transform into something marketable like a motorcycle or a bike, but just have an accurate-ish looking robot mode. It still bothers me that this recurring character still has no toy! :rolleyes:

[Firestorm]

Rung's alt mode has been revealed (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/1/1a/MTMTE22_Rung%27s_alternate_mode.jpg) way back in issue #22 (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Little_Victories). It's classified as "ornamental," and it drives functionists nuts because it doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever. It is literally an alt mode without a function.

I hope this doesn't dissuade Hasbro from producing a Rung toy though. The toy could still transform into something marketable like a motorcycle or a bike, but just have an accurate-ish looking robot mode. It still bothers me that this recurring character still has no toy! :rolleyes:

we can only hope that after combiner wars (and a beast wars anniversary series) come Generations: More than meets the eye
so we can get figures of (among other things) Rodimus, Chromedome, Riptide, Nautica, Rung, Tarn, Kaon, Vox, Helex, Tesarus, etc etc etc

[i_amtrunks]

Rung's alt mode has been revealed (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/1/1a/MTMTE22_Rung%27s_alternate_mode.jpg) way back in issue #22 (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Little_Victories). It's classified as "ornamental," and it drives functionists nuts because it doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever. It is literally an alt mode without a function.

I hope this doesn't dissuade Hasbro from producing a Rung toy though. The toy could still transform into something marketable like a motorcycle or a bike, but just have an accurate-ish looking robot mode. It still bothers me that this recurring character still has no toy! :rolleyes:

Just because he was classified as ornamental doesn't mean that's what he is. Just means the functionists didn't know what he truly was. I'm still set that he is a key.

[prjkt]

Rung's alt mode has been revealed (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/1/1a/MTMTE22_Rung%27s_alternate_mode.jpg) way back in issue #22 (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Little_Victories). It's classified as "ornamental," and it drives functionists nuts because it doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever. It is literally an alt mode without a function.

I hope this doesn't dissuade Hasbro from producing a Rung toy though. The toy could still transform into something marketable like a motorcycle or a bike, but just have an accurate-ish looking robot mode. It still bothers me that this recurring character still has no toy! :rolleyes:

I get that's the category they made up in the "normal" timeline, but that alternate future scene makes me think there's more to it than that, seems quite threatening and worthy of removing the transformation cog...

[Seraphim Prime]

Rung's alt mode has been revealed (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/1/1a/MTMTE22_Rung%27s_alternate_mode.jpg) way back in issue #22 (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Little_Victories). It's classified as "ornamental," and it drives functionists nuts because it doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever. It is literally an alt mode without a function.

I hope this doesn't dissuade Hasbro from producing a Rung toy though. The toy could still transform into something marketable like a motorcycle or a bike, but just have an accurate-ish looking robot mode. It still bothers me that this recurring character still has no toy! :rolleyes:

I agree with what the others have said.

In the "normal" timeline, the functionists didn't have the time to spend analysing Rung, so they simply gave him a throwaway title that enabled them to pretend that their philosophy was still valid.

However, in the "darkest" timeline, the Council has had another 4 million years (no war remember) to torture and analyse Rung to determine what it is he is.

I don't think James Roberts would have made that coda one of the final acts of the issue if Rung was simply an ornament. And the response of Darkest Timeline Rung makes me think that there is more than what has been revealed.

Without checking back issues, I don't think Rung has ever answered the question of what he transforms to, rather he's simply allowed his alt mode to be used for a purpose (club) and said what others had called him.

Based on what we saw last issue, I like think normal Rung's been deliberately evasive on the topic, because he knows the true nature of what he is and knows that it will have a significant implications for the crew of the Lost Light, and possibly all Transformers.

[bassbot]

Has Rung ever said that he knows, though? Or that he cares?
Aaah re-reading MTMTE this April.

[Paulbot]

Rung explicitly said he doesn't know in the main universe, and alt Rung may know but didn't previously know what he "was for".

His alt mode is more key like than the full in artist drew; Nightbeat was looking at a projection of its actual design post Dark Cybertron.

[prjkt]

Rung explicitly said he doesn't know in the main universe, and alt Rung may know but didn't previously know what he "was for".

His alt mode is more key like than the full in artist drew; Nightbeat was looking at a projection of its actual design post Dark Cybertron.

I wonder if this will be something like the Key to Vector Sigma or FOC Omega Lock style... Might have something to do with Luna 1...

[Paulbot]

Yes, I still think it has something to do with my original theory of Rung's alt mode (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=17256) that he unlocks something important and legendary.

[prjkt]

Yes, I still think it has something to do with my original theory of Rung's alt mode (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=17256) that he unlocks something important and legendary.

That's actually a pretty cool comparison... And with Metrotitan a being the vehicles of the Knights of Cybertron, I have a feeling this could be important.

(As a side note, Griffin's later post in that thread re Dark Cybertron event crossing over to a toy would probably be the Autobot sticker for Gen Megatron...)

[Jinto]

OOOOOOOhhhhhh, interesting stuff. Makes a lot of sense that the DJD aren't just mindless killing machines. They work just like everyone else and if you're like Nickle and not on their naughty-list, they can actually get to like you.

Anyone else see what Skids was wearing in that flashback? An inverted matrix like the one Heretech had on his forehead. They even mentioned Heretech in the issue. Coincidence? I think not. :D

[prjkt]

back in Shadowplay you see Skids with that on his face, was part of a religious order...

[FruitBuyer]

OOOOOOOhhhhhh, interesting stuff. Makes a lot of sense that the DJD aren't just mindless killing machines. They work just like everyone else and if you're like Nickle and not on their naughty-list, they can actually get to like you.

Anyone else see what Skids was wearing in that flashback? An inverted matrix like the one Heretech had on his forehead. They even mentioned Heretech in the issue. Coincidence? I think not. :D

Skids = Heretech confirmed.

[GoktimusPrime]

OOOOOOOhhhhhh, interesting stuff. Makes a lot of sense that the DJD aren't just mindless killing machines.
They bureaucratic mindless killing machines! :D Still, it does explain why they're called a "Division," and not a "Squad." 'Division' sounds much more bureaucratic. ;)


They work just like everyone else and if you're like Nickle and not on their naughty-list, they can actually get to like you.
The DJD are practically saviours in Nickel's eyes! It was interesting getting to see things from the DJD's POV; as much as they are a group of complete homicidal maniacs, they do see themselves as the good guys in their own perverse way. But that's something that I enjoy about the IDW comics in general, nobody sees themselves as "bad guys" or "evil" (except maybe Megatron and some ex Decepticons; but some former Autobots are equally disenfranchised too, e.g. Scoop) -- everyone has their own agenda. But Nickel is the sole survivor of her people who were killed by fleshlings -- the DJD saved her and part of their agenda is to create a universe free of fleshbags. Fleshies are monsters in her eyes, so she's more than happy to help them.

Overall great issue; loved seeing all those Victory Decepticons appearing, as my daughter and I have been going through a TF Victory DVD marathon this week. :D

21 gripes:
1/ Did anyone transform?
2/ Gaaah... I swear it feels like every IDW TF comic I pick up is guaranteed to have grammatical flaws! :eek: The big offender being incorrect usage of "me" instead of "I" (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/i-or-me). I know that this error occurs frequently in colloquial speech, but it usually happens when the characters aren't being colloquial! Tarn is supposed to be the ultimate wordsmith, is he not? I know nobody else cares... *grumble.grumble* :p

[prjkt]

on point 2 there, grammar is occasionally variable, depending on heritage - apparently the phrase, "My friends and I" is grammatically incorrect, while "My friends and me" is correct, at least according to my school's former headmaster, who was of an age/education who'd know the difference...

[GoktimusPrime]

Disregard my 2nd gripe. I re-read that panel and it is grammatically correct (although IDW have often gotten this wrong in the past; this is a positive sign that they're improving :)).

"You and me" on its own is wrong because "me" is an object pronoun. You don't use object pronouns when referring to the subject unless you're Grimlock (e.g. "Me want to bash brains!"). ;) However, because Tarn says, "between you and me," he has created a prepositional phrase, and thus any pronouns that follow are rendered in the objective case, thus the object pronoun "me" is correct (and conversely the subjective pronoun "I" is incorrect) in this case.

:o

[Sharky]

21 gripes:
1/ Did anyone transform?


I don't see that as a problem

[i_amtrunks]

A lovely setup issue. I'd love if the whole arc was told via to perspective of the DJD.

Also closed a few questions from previous issues (poor unlucky Trailbreaker) that had been correctly guessed at, but nice to have some definitive answers.

And the DJD as a bunch of bureaucrats was a clever little twist, makes hem more aligned to Magnus than Megatron in many regards!

Bring on the beef! (Which will probably happen in about 20 issues, as that's about how long we get between DJD stories. I'm calling that the Lost Light beats them or escapes due to something going wrong with their Nucleon super fuel.

[prjkt]

The Nucleon super fuel that was super-powered by temporal energy from Brainstorm jumping back in time there.... I love how EVERYTHING in this series is linked

[FruitBuyer]

21 gripes:
1/ Did anyone transform?

Yes. Tarn transforms from Tank-mode to robot-mode when he arrives back on his ship. Right after they've finished off Blip.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yes. Tarn transforms from Tank-mode to robot-mode when he arrives back on his ship. Right after they've finished off Blip.
Oh, right, I see it. They've transformed to alt modes and drove back to the Peaceful Tyranny. Wow. A whole panel. I must've blinked and missed it. :rolleyes: :p

I would've liked to see Deathzaras transform to dragon mode when he went toe to toe with Tarn. Especially when it became protracted and the other DJDers were watching on debating over whether or not they should intervene; Deathzaras could've easily transformed during that transition.

While I really do love the IDW comics, one criticism that I've had has been the relative lack of action, and part of that action being transformation. IMHO transforming should be an intuitive ability for Cybertronians as a species. It should come naturally to them as say walking or running does for humans. They should be doing it whenever an opportunity presents itself without even thinking about it; it should be a primal or instinctual act.

Action is a big part of what makes Transformers fun. Transformers shouldn't be a soap opera. Now of course, I don't want it to be just a shallow action-fest like the live action films, but you can go too far the other way IMO. "Por que no los dos?" <---have both drama and action woven together! This is something that I felt the Marvel G1 comics and Beast Wars cartoon achieved really well; and look, IDW does do this well a lot of times too, don't get me wrong... but it's just times like this where I feel they've just gone too far down the "human drama" path and the "Transformers action" motif gets left on the wayside. Yes, there is action, but is it Transformers action? Deathzaras and Tarn are walking down a corridor with Tarn holding a box full of explosives, Deathzaras tells him to step back while it explodes - Deathzaras draws his weapons as he approaches Tarn (why couldn't he transform to dragon mode?), Tarn turns around and fires to disarm Deathzaras. Deathzaras moves in (still in robot mode) to engage Tarn in melee combat (he could've torn him apart in dragon mode).

Let's compare this with say Marvel G1 #101-102 (Fallen Angel). Perceptor - in microscope mode acting as a telescope - sees Galvatron approaching. Perceptor* and Warpath immediately transform into their tank modes and open fire. Galvatron then transforms to his cannon mode and shows them what "real firepower is like," as he returns fire and knocks the Autobots about. As Galvatron transforms back to robot mode to finish off Blaster, Powerglide and Cosmos have transformed and attack Galvatron from the air before being taken down, then proceeding to take out Beachcomber and Seaspray... oh look, Dinobots! :D This scene has both action and drama. The Autobots had discovered the horrible truth of the Decepticon space bridge and also lost Scrounge; shortly after arriving on Earth, they suffered at the hands of Circuit Breaker; and before they can figure out what the hell just happened to Skids, they bump into Galvatron! The Dinobots have discovered the remains of their friend Centurion, slain by Galvatron, and have come to exact vengeance.

The Elegant Chaos story is a better example from recent IDW that gave us a mix of drama and action; I especially liked the part when Brainstorm sees Rung at Maccadam's playing with a model of the Lost Light; realising that he's not from the current timeline, he transforms to jet mode and scarpers. Cyclonus then transforms into jet mode (w/ Tailgate riding inside) and kicks in his afterburners in hot pursuit; Cyclonus fires upon Brainstorm, but Brainstorm time jumps just milliseconds before the missiles hit him! :eek: PHWOAR!! Now that's good Transformers action with drama! :D The action alone is intense, but as part of telling the story, knowing what's at stake, it makes it even more incredibly exciting! :D

This is what things like the live action movies lack. There's lots of intense action happening, but as the action isn't being driven by a story (rather the action drives the 'story'), it really isn't as exciting because there isn't that level of emotional intensity happening at the same time. Think about the first time that you saw the Beast Wars episode, "The Agenda, Part 3." BW Megatron has just shot G1 Optimus Prime point blank in the head. Space and time is being torn apart, and the Autobots' descendants, the Maximals, are fading out of existence. A massive time-storm has developed above the volcano that will be known as Mount Saint Hilary (or maybe it won't if the Predacons - without any Maximals to stop them - succeed in wiping out the early humans!). To be continued! -- and of course, as a season finale, we had to wait a year before we found out what happened next! :eek: How nail-bitingly intense was that?!

It's not that I'm unappreciative of the character-driven drama that IDW are producing, I love it - please don't get me wrong - but I would like to see this wonderful drama also intertwined with Transformers action. :) And to IDW's credit, they have improved on this this year. I had a discussion about this with Chris Ryall at last year's Sydney Supanova, and he agreed that it was a fair call and said that he would mention it with IDW staff, and for the most part, the Transformers action has notably improved this year. As has the reduction in the "over-humanisation" and Anglophonic bias in the Transformers (something else which Ryall agreed with; have you noticed that they've stopped using acronyms like "D.J.D." now? And Thundercracker's attempt at understanding the humans with his script writing serves to remind us of how truly otherworldly the Transformers are; yes, they are sapient and sentient robots, but they are not humans, and they shouldn't be thinking with an Anglophone bias -- they even made a point of the 'soft TH' in English being a difficult consonant for Cybertronians to pronounce (re: "Eart") ←I love this stuff! :D) ;)

-------------------------------------------
*Albeit mistransformed, it is a rare moment where we see Perceptor use his tank mode (https://tilallaremine.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/perceptor-g1-tank.jpg).

[Paulbot]

While I really do love the IDW comics...

Doesn't seem like it when you write such long complaints. :rolleyes:


I would've liked to see Deathzaras transform to dragon mode when he went toe to toe with Tarn.

Maybe IDW Deathsaurus* doesn't turn into a dragon? Do I get a no-prize?

(*this is how the IDW character name is spelt, unless you are talking about the Victory character who isn't in this comic at all; usually you're good at picking up misspellings of names so it's surprising you got this wrong)


Think about the first time that you saw the Beast Wars episode, "The Agenda, Part 3."

Great ending, but like nobody transformed so that sucked right? Why didn't Rhinox transform to force the doors? Why didn't Megatron turn back into flying T-Rex mode before he went to gloat?

Look at Transformers G1 #69 to 75. There's lots of transformation going on in the big finale of #75, but there's not really a lot of it in the issues leading up to it. And even in #75 Scorponok attacks Unicron in robot mode, instead of his more agile scorpion mode and Prime never turns into a truck. This issue of MTMTE isn't the Autobots vs Decepticon action packed show down, this is the suspense building and ground laying issue.

[prjkt]

(*this is how the IDW character name is spelt, unless you are talking about the Victory character who isn't in this comic at all; usually you're good at picking up misspellings of names so it's surprising you got this wrong)

Goktimus explains his reasoning for spelling the name that way somewhere here recently I think.

[GoktimusPrime]

Maybe IDW Deathsaurus* doesn't turn into a dragon? Do I get a no-prize?
It was just a suggestion. They could have also had Tarn transform into a tank after being knocked down by the explosion to shoot back at Deathzaras.


(*this is how the IDW character name is spelt, unless you are talking about the Victory character who isn't in this comic at all; usually you're good at picking up misspellings of names so it's surprising you got this wrong)
As discussed here (http://otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=466589&postcount=8084), there are cases where the official spelling of a Japanese name does not match the way that the name is actually pronounced; e.g. Cab is officially spelt as "Carb", but most Anglophone fans spell it as "Cab," because the original name as it is written in Katakana, says Cab, not Carb. Likewise Deathzaras' name in Katakana (デスザラス; desuzarasu), says "Deathzaras," and not "Deathsaurus" (which would be デスザウルス; desuzaurusu). You're right, "Deathsaurus" is indeed the official spelling, but "Deathzaras" better approximates its pronunciation. When it comes to Japanese names, where the official spelling conflicts with pronunciation, I prefer to use spellings which better approximates pronunciation.


Great ending, but like nobody transformed so that sucked right? Why didn't Rhinox transform to force the doors? Why didn't Megatron turn back into flying T-Rex mode before he went to gloat?
But there was transforming in other parts of that episode prior to that scene. IDW has given us entire issues, often in succession, where from cover to cover there's no transforming.


Look at Transformers G1 #69 to 75. There's lots of transformation going on in the big finale of #75, but there's not really a lot of it in the issues leading up to it. And even in #75 Scorponok attacks Unicron in robot mode, instead of his more agile scorpion mode and Prime never turns into a truck. This issue of MTMTE isn't the Autobots vs Decepticon action packed show down, this is the suspense building and ground laying issue.
I just checked those issues, and they all have transformations in them. Sure, they're rather light on transforming compared to other issues, but it's there. And yes, this latest issue also does have a transformation in it too, so it's not entirely absent. That's why I said that they are improving, because until recently, we would have successive issues in IDW where, from cover to cover, nobody transformed. It got to a point when I would pick up a Transformer comic, realise that nobody had transformed in it, then struggle to remember when was the last time that I saw anyone transform. But as I said, we have seen a marked improvement in this from IDW this year... it's caught me off guard because it's become more exceptional, whereas it used to feel like the norm.

[STL]

Dense issue and I actually fell asleep while reading it (it was past midnight of a worknight) so not sure what it says about it but will have to reread. Can't say I felt knocked off my socks.

Really? Transformations are the biggest gripe? 40 issues on?

Next up, Gok will start writing the all his posts in Latin/Greek b/c the way its written in English doesn't match the way it's pronounced.

... no wonder I've read less and less of these boards over time..

[Zommael]

Deathsaurus has the advantage of actually appearing to mean something in English, whereas Deathzaras/Deszaras/Derpsauce doesn't really mean anything at all (well, okay, that last one does). That keeps him more in-line with other TFs who as a general rule do have meaningful names that are either transliterated from the Latin or ordinary English words/phrases. There are plenty of exceptions; Megatron has no real meaning, but does recall both "Megaton" (as in a bomb) and "Metatron" (voice of god). Unicron doesn't have any real meaning, other than its semblance to "unicorn", which has no bearing on the actual concept of Unicron. There's no such thing as a Zarak. But generally, TFs names do mean something, either in English or bad Latin.

(this is one of the reasons why I hate it when the Dinobots are renamed the Dynobots or Lightning Strike Coalition or whatever; there shouldn't be any problem with a group whose name roughly means "terrible bots" when their leader is called Optimus Prime (the first and best), for example)

Gok, it's important to remember that the purpose of grammar is to promote clarity within language, not for each and every single piece of writing to follow an arbitrary set of rules. The construction you were talking about, "you and me" is every bit as clear as "you and I"; in fact, in everyday usage, "you and I" just sounds pretentious. It's more important that what is written makes sense, reads well, and in writing like the comics, conveys character than that it follow those arbitrary rules perfectly. There are many technically grammatically correct rules and constructions which serve absolutely no purpose in modern English (for instance, the distinction between the words "who" and "whom").

[UltraMarginal]

Its something that was brought up several times by fans at Botcon 2014. the lack of transformation in the comics. The writers and Artists noted it and realised what people were after a bit more transformation, even just travelling around the ship.

just sharing:)

[Sharky]

because they have the ability to transform does not mean they have to or need to do it for the sake of a panel of art. and if it doesn't really drive the current story they are telling why useit

Tarns ego may prevent him from transforming ( I don't need my alt mode to defeat this plebe) even if transforming is second nature or for that instant it may be a weakness since in that transitioning state you are your most vulnerable and he was already disadvantaged

I have the ability to do lots but I don't run to the fridge or to my car if I need to go somewhere, so if I'm on a ship why would I transform to get to the bridge

[FruitBuyer]

because they have the ability to transform does not mean they have to or need to do it for the sake of a panel of art. and if it doesn't really drive the current story they are telling why useit

Tarns ego may prevent him from transforming ( I don't need my alt mode to defeat this plebe) even if transforming is second nature or for that instant it may be a weakness since in that transitioning state you are your most vulnerable and he was already disadvantaged

I have the ability to do lots but I don't run to the fridge or to my car if I need to go somewhere, so if I'm on a ship why would I transform to get to the bridge

It's funny you mention Tarn because he has a transformation addiction. He's the reason why Pharma turned the way he did.

[GoktimusPrime]

Deathsaurus has the advantage of actually appearing to mean something in English,
Sure. I have no objection towards the "Deathsaurus" spelling, and it is official. I just personally tend to spell it as "Deathzaras" because the name initially pops into my mind in Japanese first. :o


Gok, it's important to remember that the purpose of grammar is to promote clarity within language, not for each and every single piece of writing to follow an arbitrary set of rules. The construction you were talking about, "you and me" is every bit as clear as "you and I"; in fact, in everyday usage, "you and I" just sounds pretentious.
I think that it also depends on who's speaking. If a Dinobot or Constructicon were to say, "you and me" -- that's one thing. But hearing characters who should be better spoken such as Optimus Prime or Starscream speaking like this just feels wrong to me. :o


Its something that was brought up several times by fans at Botcon 2014. the lack of transformation in the comics. The writers and Artists noted it and realised what people were after a bit more transformation, even just travelling around the ship.

just sharing:)
I didn't know that, thanks for sharing. :) And as I've said before, IDW have notably improved on this.


because they have the ability to transform does not mean they have to or need to do it for the sake of a panel of art. and if it doesn't really drive the current story they are telling why useit
I agree that transformation shouldn't just happen for the sake of happening (although Flywheels involuntary transformations was pretty funny ;)), however I think that if the opportunity presents itself in the story for a character to transform, then why not take it? One example that I pointed out to Chris Ryall was in the story "The Sound of Breaking Glass" (MTMTE #21); Outrigger is described as having ran a long distance at great speed to alert (no pun intended) Red Alert about Tyrest stirring in his cell. He's described as being physically exhausted by the time that he reaches Red Alert. I asked Ryall, "Why didn't he just transform?" Ryall admitted that this was a good question and admitted that in such cases, transforming made more sense. While it's true that we don't know what Outrigger transforms into, let's face it, the majority of the Cybertronian population transforms into something with some means of superior-to-bipedal locomotion. Alt modes which don't are a minority, thus unless described otherwise, I don't think that it's unreasonable to assume that Outrigger's alt mode was something of higher speed locomotion. Especially considering that he's a member of the Circle of Light, many of whom have jet modes (Axe, Dai Atlas, Star Sabre, Wing). Drift is a notable exception to this, but he still transforms into a sports car, which is still better than running! :eek:

Spike: "For one thing, why do you transform into cars and things?"
Trailbreaker: Simple. Disguise. Besides, it sure beats walking."

[dirge]

Next up, Gok will start writing the all his posts in Latin/Greek b/c the way its written in English doesn't match the way it's pronounced.


That's taking it a little far. And it took two to tango here.

STL's point is valid though. Can we please get past the pointless debating translations & transliterations? Too much inconsistency from official sources so let's just leave it out peoples. As long as the meaning is understood, close enough. Deathsaurus/Deathzaras/DeathAarhus - the character referred to is understood, however it's spelt. Let it go, Paulbot & Goktimus.

/board staff.

[Paulbot]

...Outrigger is described as having ran a long distance at great speed ... While it's true that we don't know what Outrigger transforms into, let's face it, the majority of the Cybertronian population transforms into something with some means of superior-to-bipedal locomotion. Alt modes which don't are a minority, thus unless described otherwise, I don't think that it's unreasonable to assume that Outrigger's alt mode was something of higher speed locomotion...
I'd take a guess that a robot called "Outrigger" probably turns into a boat

[autobreadticon]

Let's compare this with say Marvel G1 #101-102 (Fallen Angel). Perceptor - in microscope mode acting as a telescope - sees Galvatron approaching. Perceptor* and Warpath immediately transform into their tank modes and open fire. Galvatron then transforms to his cannon mode and shows them what "real firepower is like," as he returns fire and knocks the Autobots about. As Galvatron transforms back to robot mode to finish off Blaster, Powerglide and Cosmos have transformed and attack Galvatron from the air before being taken down, then proceeding to take out Beachcomber and Seaspray...

Oh wont someone please think of the minibots... sorry had to make that joke. :p
http://theoutmost.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Helen-Lovejoy.gif

[Sharky]

I agree that transformation shouldn't just happen for the sake of happening (although Flywheels involuntary transformations was pretty funny ;)), however I think that if the opportunity presents itself in the story for a character to transform, then why not take it? One example that I pointed out to Chris Ryall was in the story "The Sound of Breaking Glass" (MTMTE #21); Outrigger is described as having ran a long distance at great speed to alert (no pun intended) Red Alert about Tyrest stirring in his cell. He's described as being physically exhausted by the time that he reaches Red Alert. I asked Ryall, "Why didn't he just transform?" Ryall admitted that this was a good question and admitted that in such cases, transforming made more sense. While it's true that we don't know what Outrigger transforms into, let's face it, the majority of the Cybertronian population transforms into something with some means of superior-to-bipedal locomotion. Alt modes which don't are a minority, thus unless described otherwise, I don't think that it's unreasonable to assume that Outrigger's alt mode was something of higher speed locomotion. Especially considering that he's a member of the Circle of Light, many of whom have jet modes (Axe, Dai Atlas, Star Sabre, Wing). Drift is a notable exception to this, but he still transforms into a sports car, which is still better than running! :eek:

Spike: "For one thing, why do you transform into cars and things?"
Trailbreaker: Simple. Disguise. Besides, it sure beats walking."

Outrigger is also a type of Beam used in Construction perhaps he was a construction bot within the circle of light (they would of needed a maintenance staff) and walking was the faster method

[GoktimusPrime]

Outrigger is also a type of Beam used in Construction perhaps he was a construction bot within the circle of light (they would of needed a maintenance staff) and walking was the faster method
Sure, but given that locomotive alt modes are the norm for Transformers, I think that it might have been better if the narrative perhaps described this (e.g. "His boat mode being of no use here, Outrigger ran as fast as his legs could carry him."; or something like that). Of course, another really simply solution would be for Outrigger to simply contact Red Alert via radio. :p

Anyway, the point I was making is that if an opportunity presents itself in a story for a character to use his/her alt mode, then I think it'd be nice if they took it. The transformations don't need to be overtly gratuitous, but rather more incidental. I don't want stories to be written around showboating the Transformers' transformations (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Rebirth), but simply having the Transformers incidentally use their alt modes if possible. :)

[Zommael]

I'm not sure if it's exclusive to the trade or not (some things are), but I really like the bit when they first arrive on Luna-1 and use transport machines because Rodimus wants to, even though they could use alt modes just as easily. Robinson was obviously trolling there and it's hilarious.

[prjkt]

I'm not sure if it's exclusive to the trade or not (some things are), but I really like the bit when they first arrive on Luna-1 and use transport machines because Rodimus wants to, even though they could use alt modes just as easily. Robinson was obviously trolling there and it's hilarious.

Chromedome's, "Why do we even have alt-modes?" line was a crackup

[philby]

performance reviews? internal administration? bureaucratic? oh they're much more evil than we ever imagined! lol

i enjoyed it but the thing that gets me is that i sit there now analysing every bit of dialogue looking for some kind of hint or reference to something else but i just don't know the fiction or memorise everything enough to get them, if they are even there... :p recent ones too even, i could obviously tell something was up with that nucleon but it didn't click that brainstorm travelling back in time set it off. dammit haha.


They bureaucratic mindless killing machines!

something something something grammar something something? ;)

[GoktimusPrime]

Chromedome's, "Why do we even have alt-modes?" line was a crackup
^Agreed! :D I lol'd when I first read it. ;)

something something something grammar something something? ;)
Oh sorry, "There bureaucratic mindless killing machines!" Their, that's gooder. :p
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/unpossible.jpg

[Zommael]

^Agreed! :D I lol'd when I first read it. ;)

Oh sorry, "There bureaucratic mindless killing machines!" Their, that's gooder. :p
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/unpossible.jpg

You speak of Best England, Gok!

[springah]

That's taking it a little far. And it took two to tango here.

STL's point is valid though. Can we please get past the pointless debating translations & transliterations? Too much inconsistency from official sources so let's just leave it out peoples. As long as the meaning is understood, close enough. Deathsaurus/Deathzaras/DeathAarhus - the character referred to is understood, however it's spelt. Let it go, Paulbot & Goktimus.

/board staff.

yes. shut up, nerds :P

[i_amtrunks]

#40 is another beautifully written, character driven story with Ratchet taking the main stage, but we get some tiny and unfulfilling closure on Brainstorm's travels, as well as some steps forwards for other secondary characters.

Sadly this issue mostly concerns itself with setting up the utterly useless and unnecessary Drift: Empire of Stone. More happened here than in the whole four issues they let McCarthy waste. It also does not tie in well with the events we saw last week in Windblade #2 regarding First Aid.

Also some sneaky peaks into some other characters and a lovely trick regarding Rung that should stop a number of "insidious suspicions".

Art is wonderful, the mouths were the only disconcerting part for me, colours and lettering top notch as always.

And as an added bonus, there is a useful transformation, so even Gok will be happy! :p

[prjkt]

In have a feeling this arc of the comic series chronologically happens long before the other three series (xRID, Drift and Windblade)

I actually really like what they've done with Ten, very interesting potential there, and his hero worship of Magnus could be the start of a decent story.


I have to say this issue, while it does feel a bit like a "filler" between stories, closing off the previous arc, getting us ready for what's to come - it's the "fillings" that really make this series so rich. Interactions between characters, results of those interactions and the personalities that have evolved out of this series from not just big names, but the little guys, and also the new characters are far stronger than any other TF media I'm aware of.

[MissDaria]

In have a feeling this arc of the comic series chronologically happens long before the other three series (xRID, Drift and Windblade)


Yes indeed. In the most recent RID/Unadorned/Cars With Legs/whatever, Mirage's bar experience is said to be behind him. And I haven't read Empire of Stone yet, but it seems to me that Ratchet's off to fulfil his position in that story.

I love that, by the way. Despite all their bickering and differences, Ratchet is the one who feels that Drift got a raw deal and he's going to set things right with him. (Does he know that Drift was just taking the rap for others with Overlord?)

In fact, I was pretty emotionally serviced by this issue all round. Ten and Magnus/Minimus near brought a tear to my eye. Ratchet finally learnt how to say goodbye and mean it (Has he been reading old story titles?). Brainstorm and Nautica's reconciliation feels realistic - her realisation that Brainstorm's plan wasn't so self-serving, and his contrition with the new function of her wrench. Her realisation also calls back to when she told Megatron that so many Autobots owed their lives to him.

But Getaway...is anyone else finding him proper creepy? I mean, I really doubt Cyclonus slags Tailgate off behind his back. No matter how he feels, he's hardly a big social chatter. Getaway feels weird and manipulative. That a comic can make me feel uncomfortable like this is an illustration of James Roberts' writing ability, I'd say.

[Jinto]

But Getaway...is anyone else finding him proper creepy? I mean, I really doubt Cyclonus slags Tailgate off behind his back. No matter how he feels, he's hardly a big social chatter. Getaway feels weird and manipulative. That a comic can make me feel uncomfortable like this is an illustration of James Roberts' writing ability, I'd say.

Interesting point. That conversation was definitely planting the seeds of some future happening, but I can't guess what yet.
You're right though, it does seem unlikely Cyclonus would discuss that kind of thing with other crew members.

[GoktimusPrime]

Bomp. ;)

[BigTransformerTrev]

Just read 39 and 40:

39 - Interesting to see another comic with the DJD - and another one of the few comics I've ever read to not have an Autobot in it. I thought that they would have focused a bit more on Tarns snese of betrayl about his hero, Megatron switching sides. Even though it showed him in an aborted suicide attempt, I felt he rationalized the whole situation a bit too fast. That said, it was quite an interesting comic, especially with the introduction of a Warworld and I had a bit of a laugh at Tarn making his band of killers do performane reviews. :p

40 - One of the few MTMTE issues that didn't do a lot for me. Really just set up a bunch of seeminly small story plots that may evolve later on.

[Ploughmans Lunch]

Reading #41. Really want someone to reign Roberts in a bit. There's a reference in there I'm just not overly keen on. I know it's a small thing but something is really not sitting right ever since, I dunno, that issue after "Remain in Light" (and even parts of Remain in Light) have sort of steered the book on a direction of Joss Whedon-y eye-rollercoaster.

[i_amtrunks]

It's a mystery! And another mystery and another!

Going to miss First Aid on the Lost Light, I was a bit confused when I saw Mirage but that just means this arc happens before the Combiner Wars begin.

Art is gorgeous, new bots are beautifully designed. This issue is a bit sillier than most but not a page is wasted, even the dancing stuff will pay off.

[GoktimusPrime]

I had to contain myself from laughing out loud during the dance off (as my daughter had just fallen asleep), but I was rofling on the inside. :D The only thing that bugs me w/ this issue is how Nightbeat and Getaway had to run long distance to the point that Getaway literally puffed out. Did they forget that they can transform into cars? :confused: Otherwise a great ish, and really loving the mystery. Can't wait to read the next issue! :cool:

[MissDaria]

Reading #41. Really want someone to reign Roberts in a bit. There's a reference in there I'm just not overly keen on. I know it's a small thing but something is really not sitting right ever since, I dunno, that issue after "Remain in Light" (and even parts of Remain in Light) have sort of steered the book on a direction of Joss Whedon-y eye-rollercoaster.

Please elaborate? This is a James Roberts comic, references are hardly thin on the ground.

[tinyJazz]

Reading #41. Really want someone to reign Roberts in a bit. There's a reference in there I'm just not overly keen on. I know it's a small thing but something is really not sitting right ever since, I dunno, that issue after "Remain in Light" (and even parts of Remain in Light) have sort of steered the book on a direction of Joss Whedon-y eye-rollercoaster.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who feels this way.

I didn't like the writing in this issue, I know it's supposed to be silly but I don't think it was handled well. McCarthy could have done a better job.

Idk, it's probably just the dialogue being ridiculous and grating, and characters I never found annoying before are really irritating because of it. I guess I'll be cheering when Roberts kills off more of the crew though, haha.

[Paulbot]

Going to miss First Aid on the Lost Light, I was a bit confused when I saw Mirage but that just means this arc happens before the Combiner Wars begin

Or Combiner Wars takes place between the last issue and the latest (just like the current Drift series does). Nothing to say Mirage and the Protectobots can't come back to the Lost Light afterwards. Four of them are hanging out together in this issue after all.

[Paulbot]

I didn't mind part one, but didn't like part two. Felt a little bit silly - or maybe repetitive. They've done the horror threat before and better, and the nature and resolution this time feels like it was set up around a single joke. The new relationships were also so much a "tell" not "show". I think this story is a bit of a misfire but I also have high expectations for this book.

[SMHFConvoy]

I didn't mind part one, but didn't like part two. Felt a little bit silly - or maybe repetitive. They've done the horror threat before and better, and the nature and resolution this time feels like it was set up around a single joke. The new relationships were also so much a "tell" not "show". I think this story is a bit of a misfire but I also have high expectations for this book.

I think this issue was just a set up for what happens at the end of the issue. This 2 part story was more of a nod to Dan Harmon and Community hence the levity and silliness.

Seriously, Rodimus is Jeff Winger ;)

[i_amtrunks]

I was a bit miffed and let down by these last two issues too, I think there could have been a better way to get Thunderclash and Velocity on the Lost Light (Yay, Thunderclash!!! Can we get a Generations figure now please?) and the other Camiens back to Windblade in case they are needed to form Victorion (sp?).

The art was a bit hard to make out on paper too, have not downloaded it on the ipad yet so not sure if it is any better on that. No idea how/why/when Skystalker appeared to get killed, but not sure if it was my misreading or the art or what.

Did love the Rodimus reveal, very humorous, but I could've lived without the Skids flirting, the other scarcely seen bots resolving the problem and Swerve disappearing, hoping it is just a gag and not the tie into the next arc.

[Ploughmans Lunch]

Kinda done with MTMTE now honestly.

[Seraphim Prime]

Kinda done with MTMTE now honestly.

Why?

You mention above the change in tone since Remain in Light. What's changed in your eyes?

[GoktimusPrime]

Wow... Skids dropped an interesting word that's not really appropriate for me to repeat here, aside to say that it rhymes with "sparse." :eek: Also interesting to think that IDW Skids does not speak with an American accent to audiences as one might imagine (as the Yanks use a word that rhymes with "mass"). Of course, non-American English covers virtually every English dialect outside of the USA, so it's arguably hard to narrow it down, but given that James Roberts is a British writer, it may very well be in his own native accent. Does anyone happen to know which part of Britain Roberts is from?

[Zommael]

Wow... Skids dropped an interesting word that's not really appropriate for me to repeat here, aside to say that it rhymes with "sparse." :eek: Also interesting to think that IDW Skids does not speak with an American accent to audiences as one might imagine (as the Yanks use a word that rhymes with "mass"). Of course, non-American English covers virtually every English dialect outside of the USA, so it's arguably hard to narrow it down, but given that James Roberts is a British writer, it may very well be in his own native accent. Does anyone happen to know which part of Britain Roberts is from?

A lot of people in the UK would spell it with an R simply to avoid spelling it the American way. Similarly, a lot of people have aeopted the longer pronunciation, or will alternate between use of both, to avoid the connotation of Americanisation. I speak as someone whose native accent would pronoune it shorter, but the lexis of myself and many of my British friends now includes the longer pronunciation. So regardless of Roberts' own accent, he may have chosen to use it for similar reasons.

[GoktimusPrime]

Well, everyone outside of America says and spells it as sounding/looking similar to "sparse" when referring to one's hindquarters, and the one that looks/sounds like "mass" when referring to a donkey or foolish person. This is because Standard English still adheres to that word's original Latin root; asinus, which means 'donkey,' and the Romans did also use it to refer to a foolish person. But we use the word that rhymes with "sparse" when referring to bottoms - using the word that rhymes with "mass" in that context is distinctly American. ;)

Hence the Latin translation of Kickback's motto ("Friend is another word for fool") is...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Latin/th_amicusmihiasinus.jpg
amicus mihi asinus = lit. "A friend is a donkey to me."

P.S.: There are other instances where American English moves away from Latin roots which Standard English still adheres too. e.g. Standard English still uses the Latin-based "~ise" ending in words like organise, realise, empathise etc., where American English uses the Greek-based "~ize" ending (organize, realize, empathize etc.). I'm not sure how American English went from "sparse" to "mass." There doesn't appear to be any Greek influence to it AFAIK as the Greek word for donkey is Gaidaros (I think). :o

[MissDaria]

Well, everyone outside of America says and spells it as sounding/looking similar to "sparse" when referring to one's hindquarters, and the one that looks/sounds like "mass" when referring to a donkey or foolish person. This is because Standard English still adheres to that word's original Latin root; asinus, which means 'donkey,' and the Romans did also use it to refer to a foolish person. But we use the word that rhymes with "sparse" when referring to bottoms - using the word that rhymes with "mass" in that context is distinctly American. ;)

Hence the Latin translation of Kickback's motto ("Friend is another word for fool") is...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Latin/th_amicusmihiasinus.jpg
amicus mihi asinus = lit. "A friend is a donkey to me."

P.S.: There are other instances where American English moves away from Latin roots which Standard English still adheres too. e.g. Standard English still uses the Latin-based "~ise" ending in words like organise, realise, empathise etc., where American English uses the Greek-based "~ize" ending (organize, realize, empathize etc.). I'm not sure how American English went from "sparse" to "mass." There doesn't appear to be any Greek influence to it AFAIK as the Greek word for donkey is Gaidaros (I think). :o

Hadn't realised 'fool' was 'asinus', though it makes some other things make sense. (Heck, Kickback's better off sticking to Latin!)

I find that the 'sparse-word' and 'mass-word', while nominally interchangeable in donkeyless contexts, have connotations (though not necessarily denotations) that make one feel a better fit than the other sometimes. Like after 'bad', for example.

[i_amtrunks]

Latest issue was easily my favourite so far this season. Nightbeat was fantastic, calling back the Furman era and the whole "Roberts thing" of making a supernatural / deity figure just a fan/regular joe was a great touch.

Megatron not being part of his season two seems to be no longer a big thing, the end page was amazing and really hit home to both me as a reader and to the character of Megatron as well.

Art was spectacular, I had no idea that we had a different artist. Certainly a high point for the last year or so!

[BigTransformerTrev]

Latest issue was easily my favourite so far this season. Nightbeat was fantastic, calling back the Furman era and the whole "Roberts thing" of making a supernatural / deity figure just a fan/regular joe was a great touch.

Megatron not being part of his season two seems to be no longer a big thing, the end page was amazing and really hit home to both me as a reader and to the character of Megatron as well.

Art was spectacular, I had no idea that we had a different artist. Certainly a high point for the last year or so!

Yep - Nightbeat's investigation and the last page with Megs were definitely the highlights of a very good comic!

[bassbot]

MTMTE #45!

The scavengers are back, and I know lots of fans have been saying "yes, they should have their own ongoing" but i really enjoy them being in this more piece-meal, like the DJD. I don't mind little stop-offs from the main narrative. They still feel very MTMTE-ey and this issue has some great twists.

The foreshadowing of "lists" and Krok mentioning the "DJD" get right into your head that they might be the ones coming for Demus, but I love the final page twist. Did NOT expect HIM to turn up - but this is a great tie in to the whole MTMTE continuity. It also feels similar to the last page arrival he had in #4.

A joy in this comic was having Milne back. I love the fill in artists too, and they do comic storytelling so well, but MILNE is the visuals of this book.

B+, not an A cause it felt quicker than other MTMTE reads and I want #46 now.

[i_amtrunks]

MTMTE #45!
The foreshadowing of "lists" and Krok mentioning the "DJD" get right into your head that they might be the ones coming for Demus, but I love the final page twist. Did NOT expect HIM to turn up - but this is a great tie in to the whole MTMTE continuity. It also feels similar to the last page arrival he had in #4.

I too did not expect him. I didn't expect the DJD (maybe, just maybe I was thinking Deathsaurus and his army) but this twist is even better.

When do we get the Grimlock story to fill in the blanks?

[i_amtrunks]

A satisfying conclusion, and more clues about what is to come with this mysterious faction. The ramifications are massive for the galaxy spanning series and I wonder how long it'll be before we get some real crossover in the Cybertron/Earth series.

Starting to get a whole G2 vibe about where this is going, where the Cybertronians will have to unite under one banner to take on a massive galactic threat (Galactic Council, this new faction, humans; whoever) who are out to rid the universe of Transformers.

I wonder how it will tie (if at all) to the new Wreckers series.

It also now makes a bit more sense (i guess) as to why ol' Grimlock was on that organic ship and now I wonder what will happen to him. I'd still like more information about how / why he was able to leave Garrus 9 and if Overlord perhaps sold him off to this new faction.

Lets have a third series that is actually decent, MtMtE, Scavengers and RiD. Scavengers honestly could not be any worse as a bimonthly ongoing as Windblade was (and I liked the core concept and title character!)

[Lord_Zed]

It was an interesting issue indeed, not the best of the season but far from the worst.

The single page with the mystery faction was not as intriguing as the discovery of their World Sweeper in the first scavengers story, I guess we'll need to wait for a future issue (probably season) to make any sense of it.



Starting to get a whole G2 vibe about where this is going, where the Cybertronians will have to unite under one banner to take on a massive galactic threat (Galactic Council, this new faction, humans; whoever) who are out to rid the universe of Transformers.


This is an interesting idea, particularly if it were the Galactic council, while they have sort of played an antagonist role on their brief appearance's in MTMTE so far, given the misery and destruction the Transformers have caused ( a lot of which is only mentioned briefly) one can't help but feel them they would be somewhat justified if they did try to remove the Transformer threat, which, which would make for some interesting moral quandary's for a series that is already full of interesting grey characters, Id love to see collaborators in such a conflict and not necessarily obvious villains like Tyrest.




It also now makes a bit more sense (i guess) as to why ol' Grimlock was on that organic ship and now I wonder what will happen to him. I'd still like more information about how / why he was able to leave Garrus 9 and if Overlord perhaps sold him off to this new faction.



Sidetrack here but whenever Garrus 9 comes up, I always wonder what happened to Scorponok, as I assume that's where they would have incinerated him after the Dinobot series, assuming he's not on life support somewhere. I would like to see him show up again one day in the hands of a writer like James Roberts.

[i_amtrunks]

Sidetrack here but whenever Garrus 9 comes up, I always wonder what happened to Scorponok, as I assume that's where they would have incinerated him after the Dinobot series, assuming he's not on life support somewhere. I would like to see him show up again one day in the hands of a writer like James Roberts.

Since we only know of Garrus 9 (does it mean that there are 8 other Garrus facilities for the lesser criminals, like is Garrus 1 for the bots caught jaywalking or who don't pay their parking tickets?) it make sense he would be there. It is a little sad that we haven't had his name brought up. I'd imagine the DJD would have an interest in him too.

I also won't be surprised if he is at the head of this new faction.

[i_amtrunks]

Loved the latest issue. We are back on the lost light with a story revolving around Tailgate, Cyclonus and Getaway. Not the story I was expecting, nor the ending. Surely it has to be a misdirect?

Now the worst part about MtMtE, waiting a month for the next issue!

[bassbot]

Loved the latest issue. We are back on the lost light with a story revolving around Tailgate, Cyclonus and Getaway. Not the story I was expecting, nor the ending. Surely it has to be a misdirect?

Now the worst part about MtMtE, waiting a month for the next issue!

I'm wondering on the misdirect but I get the feeling no, the final moment for ------- will stay - the poignancy of it is so touching and emotional that a return or do-over would render this issue nigh on pointless.

Brendan Cahill did an amazing job of the layouts and art, Joana has taken what Josh B did in season one and ramped up the colours another few gears. I'm loving MTMTE and especially #47 this week!

[GoktimusPrime]

Now the worst part about MtMtE, waiting a month for the next issue!
IMHO "The Agenda, Part 3" ranks as the most excruciating cliffhanger in Transformers for me! We had to wait a freakin' year before finding out what happened next! :eek:

[Paulbot]

Wasn't too taken by the Scavenger issues, but this latest issue. Not what I expected (covers misled me) but wowsers.


I had need for this image and it made me think of MTMTE. Some of the characterisations in MTMTE are brand new or radically different, but Ratchet's is one where it feels consistent with the Marvel G1 version. I could see IDW Ratchet swapping places with this Ratchet with no problem.

http://i.imgur.com/DPOjnrI.jpg

[Paulbot]

On the Comics Alliance website, MTMTE has been recognised in their 2015 awards with James Robert, best writer (http://comicsalliance.com/comics-alliance-outstanding-writer-of-2015/) and Best continued excellence (http://comicsalliance.com/comics-alliance-best-of-2015-continued-excellence-in-serial-comics/)

It's always great to see general comic book sites recognise MTMTE (and it happens often). My go-to comic reviewers at House of Astonish have frequently pointed out that if the book wasn't called "Transformers" it would be winning major awards but people are biased about a toy tie-in.

[Paulbot]

On the Comics Alliance website, MTMTE has been recognised in their 2015 awards with James Robert, best writer (http://comicsalliance.com/comics-alliance-outstanding-writer-of-2015/) and Best continued excellence (http://comicsalliance.com/comics-alliance-best-of-2015-continued-excellence-in-serial-comics/)

It's always great to see general comic book sites recognise MTMTE (and it happens often). My go-to comic reviewers at House of Astonish have frequently pointed out that if the book wasn't called "Transformers" it would be winning major awards but people are biased about a toy tie-in.

Now that said I was disappointed by this issue. I should have expected it, but don't give Cyclonus a great meaningful death scene and have it shaked it off in the next issue! Undoes the great work of last issue. This isn't the first time either and I should have learned but it's the book's biggest flaw.

[i_amtrunks]

Could not agree more with the whole ending of last issue/move into this issue. However, the little guy jumpstarting Thunderclash was awesome.

That being said, a couple of issues dedicated to Skids and Rung??? Sign me up!

I thought from the previews that maybe the blanking of details was a way to entice us, but no, they are still there in the book, very cheeky, but I kind of like it as a one off gag/plot driver.

Not sure how I feel about the bad guy, it seems very forced and silly, even for this book.

Onto the Christmas special. It was awesome. More please.

[GoktimusPrime]

The current issue has got to be one of the most epic Transformers comics that I've read in a while! :D (and no spelling/grammatical errors, YAY!)

I'm especially in awe of this line from Megatron. I've translated it to Japanese, but I've included a transcript of the original English dialogue below, spoiler tagged. I will be making comments about this line below. Continue reading this post at your own risk.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/idw_megatron_renounceviolence_zpsi2rdnv19.jpg

************************************
新発売中！AVAILABLE NOW!
************************************
<spoiler>"I've renounced violence. From this point on, regardless of the provocation - regardless of the consequences - I will never hurt another living creature."</spoiler>

This is obviously hearkens back to who Megatron was at the very beginning, as shown in Megatron: Origins. It was that mini-series that, for the first time, fleshed out Megatron as being a character and not just some demented villain for the audience to blindly hate. Suddenly we were given a Megatron that we could empathise with. And since the end of the war, we've seen Megatron move away from the monster that he'd become. He knew that he'd lost sight of his original purpose, and that the Decepticons no longer stood for the ideals that they were originally founded on. We now see Soundwave attempting to continue the Decepticon cause along what he believes to be its original ideology in the Sol System, whereas Megatron has now come full circle and reverted back to his original pacifistic beliefs, as enshrined in his own manifesto, Towards Peace.

And I really hope that Megatron is sincere about all this and that it's not a ruse, because I'm really enjoying Megatron's current story arc. If people want a more traditional scheming Decepticon villain/leader, then we have Galvatron for that. Also Starscream (although he schemes in a very different way from Galvatron). And while Optimus Prime and his followers still regard him as a hero, there are many others who view him as a menace. Even Cosmos appears to be conflicted, but has opted to assist Prime's Autobots out of old loyalties. The fact that Megatron has changed has really fleshed him out as a character. :D

[MayzaPrime]

I just finished reading issue 49 last night. I agree with Goki I am also enjoying this version of Megatron as well. I also really hope that it is not a ruse.

[Paulbot]

I have many reactions to issue 50. Mostly though, just so happy the comic has gone on this long and continues to sell okay and isn't facing cancellation.

Maybe I'll get my letter in #100...

[SMHFConvoy]

I have many reactions to issue 50. Mostly though, just so happy the comic has gone on this long and continues to sell okay and isn't facing cancellation.

Maybe I'll get my letter in #100...

The next milestone issue is 75, that's according to James Roberts in a recent interview with io9

[Ploughmans Lunch]

I really genuinely hope Rodimus gets knocked off. MTMTE is a mixed bag for me, but generally enjoyable, but I was totally onside with Getaway in #50. What's the biggest shame is that Rodimus said something about making an effort (that I took as maybe like growing up/stop being such a child) way back in the Remain in Light storyline, and somehow he's just gotten worse. It's not like he even tried to grow up, he's just an irredeemable narcissist. Not to say that an irredeemable narcissist is a bad character to have- there's plenty examples of protagonists fitting that description and being thoroughly captivating/entertaining- it's just how he's written post-DC is really irritating.

Otherwise I liked the first part of this issue! Here's to another shakeup of the IDW status quo!

[Seraphim Prime]

Somebody else mentioned that it's as if Megatron's appointment gave Rodimus reason to revert back to his old self. Both in a sense of if Megatron's can be forgiven then I can too, and well Megatron's the disciplined captain - I'll be the fun captain (with out without capitilisation - I think Rodimus would like the idea of being Fun Captain).

But also it speaks to an inability to reform - I think he was genuinely remorseful for his actions (in so far as it reflected on him) - but he is unable to reflect on how his actions affect others and therefore truly effect change in himself.



As for my thoughts on this issue, without being spoilery - I loved the three arcs it seemed to have. The first being a loving look at the good times on the ship, with Megatron appearing to have settled comfortably into his new directorial / mentoring role. You know the confrontation that will come about at the end of the book but the reason why was surprising, and yet completely understandable, while still shocking and disheartening given the perspective on the Lost Light we've had for this "season".

[Ploughmans Lunch]

PS My fan letter was published lol.

[Lord_Zed]

I really genuinely hope Rodimus gets knocked off. MTMTE is a mixed bag for me, but generally enjoyable, but I was totally onside with Getaway in #50. What's the biggest shame is that Rodimus said something about making an effort (that I took as maybe like growing up/stop being such a child) way back in the Remain in Light storyline, and somehow he's just gotten worse. It's not like he even tried to grow up, he's just an irredeemable narcissist. !

While I wouldn't go as far as to have a death wish for Rodimus I agree with your sentiments about Getaway, his confinement in the previous issue seemed cruel and unusual given his crime was trying get Megatron killed which Brainstorm, Rewind and Whirl have all had a go at and remain in team Rodimus.

A bit of a moral quandary, and much like in the current Wreckers series, I'm not sure who I want to see prevail.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah... I personally want to see Team Rodimus prevail because I really like Megatron's whole journey of personal redemption. But at the same time, I can completely understand where Getaway and the remaining crew of the Lost Light are coming from, as they feel that there has been a gross miscarriage of justice. And they're absolutely right in that Megatron has not been seen as adequately being made to pay for his crimes.

Of course, Getaway and his supporters are arguably behaving more like Decepticons (or like Prowl :p); they are being consequentialists (i.e. the ends justify the means), whereas Team Rodimus are acting more like Autobots (or Optimus Prime ;)); they are being deontologists (i.e. the ends can never justify the means). While characters like Prowl, Getaway and Atomiser have always been consequentialistic utilitarians in the IDW universe, I don't know if the same could be said for most Autobots. I'd say that the Autobot cause tends to attract deontologists while the Decepticon cause tends to attract consequentialists (although they do have consequentialists too, such as Soundwave and Thundercracker, and the reformed Megatron [although he's officially an Autobot now] etc.). So it seems to me that the bulk of the crew were drawn towards taking this extremely consequentialistic action due to desperation; driven by those with a more natural inclination/disposition. I don't know if those like Blaster are necessarily enthused about taking this course of action, but rather feeling like they have no other reasonable choice but to do so in the name of justice... because there is simply no other way. Somewhat similar to why vigilante style super heroes like Batman and Daredevil don masks in order to bring justice to criminals who otherwise slip through the legal system. These Autobots seem to believe that the system has failed them and they have little other recourse. The fact that they've even managed to set them up with the DJD just goes to show how utterly desperate they must be.

As the audience, we know that Megatron has done a lot of good and has come a long way in achieving personal redemption. But now that I think about it, who else outside of Team Rodimus have personally witnessed this reformation in Megatron? Without witnessing this, the rest of the crew may continue to view Megatron as a villain. And the other question is -- how much of Megatron's reformation is intrinsically authentic, and how much of it is extrinsically induced by his watered down Energon? That spontaneous smack-down of Minimus Ambus plus the self-harm to his own head/helmet leaves unanswered questions. I really hope that it's the former though... the latter feels like a cheap cop out to allow Megatron to suddenly revert back to his old ways. Gah. Or perhaps the truth lies midway between these two extremes.

[Paulbot]

Spoiler reaction to #51 but wanted to note that in all the time I've been reading comics I can't recall a time that I've turned a page (well guided view) and exclaimed out loud with excitement, relief and surprise as I did with this issue.. Love this comic.

[SMHFConvoy]

Ten is awesome, also nice to see story arcs coming together

[i_amtrunks]

I've only just caught up on issue #50.

I had more than a few chuckles and the twist at the end regarding the Lost Light really surprised me, while at the same time, it really didn't surprise me when I stopped and thought about it.
While I'd like to see some comeuppance for certain remaining characters for these actions, the fact Brainstorm copped nothing for his makes me unsure that anything much will happen.

Not having read #51 yet, I'm guessing from Red Alert's reaction and the actions of buckethead in this issue that we may see some Rage-ahol action in the coming issues, and by joves will the Rodpod crew need it.

[Seraphim Prime]

and the twist at the end regarding the Lost Light really surprised me, while at the same time, it really didn't surprise me when I stopped and thought about it.

it hits you as a surprise, but it's totally understandable why they do what they do. And you re read the issue and you see it all play out in front of you.

I do wonder how many of them knew of the DJD's involvement though and whether they would have made the same decision if they did.

This issue was not as heart wrenching, but still had many great character moments and their relation with other characters.

Loved the final page. It won't be enough to fully turn the tide, but glad to see some friendly help arrive.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Issue 52 was quite good. Some of the better points:

*Tarn expanding on why he finds Megatrons betrayl so personal
*Megatron wondering if his true nature is being suppressed by 'fools energon' (which for my money makes his continued change into a 'good bot' all the more believable, rather than suddenly over the course of a year he has completely changed from who has been for the last 4 million)
*The fight between Tarn & Overlord was pretty good - yay - alt-modes actually being used!
*Overlord bating Tarn at every turn and Tarn killing one of his own leiutenats

The only bit I had an issue with was Tarn not him not wondering more about Overlords resurfacing, surely the DJD are good at making sure Phase-6'ers are fully dead. But that might have taken up valuable panels I guess as they explored that the Overlord the DJD killed was a duplicate.

It's going to be interesting to see how the Lost Light crew get out of this now that they are up against the DJD AND Dethsaurus' crew AND Overlord. I hope they don't do it too easily considering how easy Overlord killed so many of the Lost Light crew before and the DJD massacered the entire duplicate crew.

[GoktimusPrime]

Finally caught up on my comics today. Also really excited to seeing alt modes being used in battle! I also want a toy of Ten! Hasbro could make him transform into anything they want (a tank seems obvious) since he doesn't have an alt mode, but obviously the toy needs one in order to be a commercially viable product for Hasbro. "Legislator" is probably a better sounding name than "Ten." ;)

Does anyone proof read these comics before they go for print? Cos there are quite a number of easily avoidable errors. "Though" is a conjunctive adverb, not a verb in its past tense. At least, so I though (sic). :p

I also really liked the chemistry between the members of the DJD and Overlord, as well as the banter between Tarn and Megatron. It really helps to flesh them out as characters and not just 'monsters.' And as always, great to see humour being injected throughout to punctuate the emotional intensity of the drama and action. Heh, space scooter. ;)

And evidently IDW Brainstorm and Ratchet speak with some form of Standard English accent, not American English. Brainstorm abbreviated 'mathematics' as "maths" instead of "math," and Ratchet refers to one's posterior with a word that rhymes with "sparse" rather than a synonym for donkey that rhymes with "mass." Yay for proper English! :p Although now I don't know what kind of voice to attribute to Ratchet when I'm reading his lines in my head, as we've never had a Ratchet before who spoke in a Standard/non-American English accent. :eek: Benedict Cumberbatch's voice perhaps?

[prjkt]

Don't forget we're essentially reading what these bots are "saying," so not all of them would have a grasp on the nuances of grammar...

At least that's what I tell myself

[STL]

Some thoughts before #53:
http://stlplaybox.tumblr.com/post/144863541401/odds-of-survival-welcome-to-the-soapboxs-first

[i_amtrunks]

Don't know why, but I honestly thought Nautica was pulling a MAtrix out of her chest in a really WTF??? moment, then I realised that she was just letting them know that they are her friends.

I'm sure something will come the event, knowing the bots she has with her.

The whole Roller Tarn killing Kaon thing felt forced and out of character and I think it was meant to be. It was Tarn trying to put into place a new order as a direct backlash to the changed Megatron. The fact it may have scored him some points with Overlord, in terms of the team up didn't hurt either.

Who keeps the turbofox as a pet now? Swerve?

[BigTransformerTrev]

Well I hope the fight in issue #54 is worth it - I've lost count of the issues before that have been lead up to this. 8 hours till sunset and I've been reading precursor comics for 8 hours so it's the literary equivalent of that show '24' :p

Points of interest:
*Didn't see the whole "Rewinds lost love was turned into a faux-Sparkeater' thing - I mean really didn't see that coming :eek:
*Natuicas bit was sweet. So was Cyclonus talking about how he is not worthy of Tailgate
*Magnus looks fricken cool in his giant armor!

But yeah, it's the next issue I'm waiting to see. Ya gotta figure at least some of the LL crew die in it

[bassbot]

I'm loving how this is building up because it's doing what MTMTE does well - character. Your points above I loved too, especially the Dominus reveal. The way Roberts and Milne plotted the panels and narrative to have both Rewind and Chromosome realising it at the same time was pure comics brilliance. And also Rewind clocking Rodimus in the mouth. So. Good.

[GoktimusPrime]

The feels! Right in the feels!! :eek: (this is why I love this series :D)

[i_amtrunks]

Feels indeed.

I wonder what Nightbeat and Rung have gotten themselves up to, since they are missing for the action.

I quite enjoyed the Whirl and Cyclonus bits, but the Chromedome stuff bothered me, he never looked like he was dying, but that is the difficulty in still images, they can't show us things that would be nigh impossible to convey through lines and inks.

But another mystery solved.

[bassbot]

Because Chromedome seemed be "drained" and not recharging properly, I get why it was hard to artistically represent - but I think the point is valid because the artists have shown so much in previous issues. At least the text was clear that his colour was off, etc.

[GoktimusPrime]

I managed to get the feel straight away through the expression in his eyes (visor) being more droopy looking and "flaring up," as well as his slouched posture. It's not so much comic vs animation, but it's just really difficult to visually convey emotions on a character that has no human-like face. It makes you appreciate why Dreamworks gave Movie Optimus Prime a retractable faceplate so that you can see his face emote, and animators in subsequent series (Animated, Prime, RiD2015) have followed suit.

Having a mask makes one feel remote and emotionally detached, which works fine if the character is meant to be like that (e.g. Dark Vader, Kylo Ren etc.) -- but even they had moments where their masks were removed at times when the story needed them to emote directly for the audience (e.g. Anakin's death, Kylo's anguish etc.). RiD2015 has yet to really give us any strong emotional scenes with his face yet, but one of the most powerful moments in TF Prime was when Optimus Prime turned back and smiled at his friends before plunging into Cybertron's core. It reminds me of the way that Shockwave smiled at Orion Pax before they Empurataed... Empuratavit... Empuratavited... Empurataveris... Empurataverit... - whatever the past tense for Empurata is - him!

[SMHFConvoy]

Latest issue so good and bittersweet

[Jinto]

Aww man, I think I had the same reaction as Megatron when Ravage was ripped in half. :eek: I'm really liking the bond he seems to have with Ravage. So rare to see Megatron actually care about anyone and the fact that it's a beast-forming cassette is really cool.

The 'traumatic experience = magical upgrades' thing I find pretty hard to swallow. I'd much rather something at least loosely based on the science of at universe, like that Nuke(?) stuff Tarn was addicted to. Or that Ore-13 Shockwave created. Seems like another super-power macguffin was unnecessary and makes no sense considering people in this universe have traumatic experiences all the time. I mean the DJD alone would be creating super-bots left and right.

Poor Skids :( . I wonder if Cyclonus is ok too? I don't think we see him after Overlord pounds him into the dirt.

[Paulbot]

universe have traumatic experiences all the time. I mean the DJD alone would be creating super-bots left and right.

They already explained that. It's because of the quantum energy the crew has been exposed to through space jumps and time travel that it works instead of everyone.

But I agree an Ore would be a simpler explanation.

[Jinto]

Ohhh my bad, I must have missed that along the way. I suppose I can forgive 'quantum energy' :p

[i_amtrunks]

Oh, the feels! What a cheat on the last page.

Ravage and Skids, but maybe Ravage will pull through. What a way for Skids to go, remembering what he had done so well to forget, unless there is more we do not know about.

Do we know where Maximum Magnus or whatever he is being called went during the battle, or is he the one firing the shots at the end? The other few survivors took the remaining parts of Ravage back to Ratchet.

Also not sure why Megatron went down so quickly in a heap after the fusion cannon was taken out, it surely must be a ploy, but the art did not make it look like that. Hope this isn't an old switch and bait.

Also not impressed with Deathsaurus, as I thought he might've stood up to Tarn and withdrawn his troops, he was made out to be a different type of Decepticon leader.

[Paulbot]

If Deathsaurus withdrew he'd be putting himself and his crew on the DJD's list though...

[SMHFConvoy]

Do we know where Maximum Magnus or whatever he is being called went during the battle, or is he the one firing the shots at the end? The other few survivors took the remaining parts of Ravage back to Ratchet.

The three shots fired could be Nightbeat and Rung.

[GoktimusPrime]

So much awesome! I really like how this story draws in the audience's emotional investment into the characters. It makes me care when Ravage gets torn apart. I care when Cyclonus gets smacked into the ground. I'm exhilarated when Megatron comes to the rescue (a feeling that is otherwise reserved for a heroic entrance by Optimus Prime); it's not every day that I find myself cheering for Megatron! I am anguished when I see Overlord sadistically taunting Chromedome. I have a level of empathy for when Deathsaurus' hand is forced in ordering his troops to besiege Megatron. I feel torn when Skids falls (I'd rate it as the 3rd most traumatic non-Optimus comic death after IDW Shockwave and G1 Scorponok).

Yet the emotional intensity of the story was also nicely punctuated by small moments of comedy (without needing to resort to crude innuendo like Bayformers), like Ultra Magnus telling Rewind that he, "can't deal with it now," or seeing Tailgate taunting that big Decepticon in order to deliver a classy one-liner with his finish blow. And there was use of alt modes (they do transform after all!); seeing Vos being used in his sniper rifle mode (awww, please make a toy of this guy, Hasbro!) as well as the Lost Light crew transforming and rolling out with Ravage. And seeing Cyclonus flying by and blasting away at the enemy was spectacular! The sense of intense movement in a single panel is quite reminiscent of Geoff Senior's art from the G1 comics. :D

I also agree that seeing Megatron being emotionally defeated after the loss of his fusion cannon seems completely out of character. I was expecting him to be more like, "I'll rip out your optics!" Perhaps it is some kind of ploy. I sure hope so. This issue was made all the more enjoyable thanks to being written in fully correct English (no spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes). :o

Bring on the next ish! :cool:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/jaam_yum.gif

[Jinto]

Also not sure why Megatron went down so quickly in a heap after the fusion cannon was taken out, it surely must be a ploy, but the art did not make it look like that. Hope this isn't an old switch and bait.


I also agree that seeing Megatron being emotionally defeated after the loss of his fusion cannon seems completely out of character. I was expecting him to be more like, "I'll rip out your optics!" Perhaps it is some kind of ploy.

I have to disagree with you both.

Think about it - Megatron has spent 4 million years with that gun on his arm. In his mind 'death comes from here'. Then the war is over and he gives up his weapon. He's wrestling with his history and his newfound pacifism. Suddenly he's forced to wear that weapon again and become the killer he's trying to put behind him, to protect the people he's actually starting to care about, them BAM - the weapon and symbol of his power and ability to kill is destroyed right as he needs it the most.

No wonder he broke down. The guy's having a massive identity crisis. He doesn't know who he is, should be or wants to be. And he's being fought by the very guy who worshipped the 'old Megatron' and is specifically tasked with killing those that aren't loyal to him.

P.S. Yeah, I'm betting Magnus or Nightbeat/Rung fired those three shots.

P.P.S. Anyone notice Nickel shot Chromedome in the right shoulder while wielding Vos? Could be our agent 113. I know she's allegedly non-Cybertronian but that could be a ploy. Unless Vos can aim himself?

[Paulbot]

P.P.S. Anyone notice Nickel shot Chromedome in the right shoulder while wielding Vos? Could be our agent 113. I know she's allegedly non-Cybertronian but that could be a ploy. Unless Vos can aim himself?

Well... Chromedome doesn't have an Autobot symbol on his shoulder and Agent 113 shoots his reports through the right eye of their Autobot symbol. Also last issue revealed who Agent 113 was (and I don't think it's clear if there was a second one?) Chromedome just has really big shoulders so it's an easy target ;)

[Jinto]

Well... Chromedome doesn't have an Autobot symbol on his shoulder and Agent 113 shoots his reports through the right eye of their Autobot symbol. Also last issue revealed who Agent 113 was (and I don't think it's clear if there was a second one?) Chromedome just has really big shoulders so it's an easy target ;)

Oh, I remember about Dominus. I thought there was another agent 113... Bleh, I must have been asleep reading the last issue. I should stop commenting :P

[Paulbot]

Oh, I remember about Dominus. I thought there was another agent 113... Bleh, I must have been asleep reading the last issue. I should stop commenting :P

I think it's a bit unclear if there was another 113 or not... unclear exactly when the DJD discovered their mole, or when Swerve was shot by Agent 113.

Chromedome does needs to be more careful though. He just got that arm put back on!!

[GoktimusPrime]

I have to disagree with you both.

Think about it - Megatron has spent 4 million years with that gun on his arm. In his mind 'death comes from here'. Then the war is over and he gives up his weapon. He's wrestling with his history and his newfound pacifism. Suddenly he's forced to wear that weapon again and become the killer he's trying to put behind him, to protect the people he's actually starting to care about, them BAM - the weapon and symbol of his power and ability to kill is destroyed right as he needs it the most.

No wonder he broke down. The guy's having a massive identity crisis. He doesn't know who he is, should be or wants to be. And he's being fought by the very guy who worshipped the 'old Megatron' and is specifically tasked with killing those that aren't loyal to him.
In which case he's an utterly incompetent fighter. Because it's an extremely basic concept that you never solely rely on "Plan A." Fighters will always have a Plan B, C, D, E, F etc. When I used to train in martial arts, I was always taught to be prepared for my techniques to fail (and thus constantly have back up plans in mind), and indeed one of my personal bug bears are martial arts schools which fail to teach this (which unfortunately are a lot of them :rolleyes:). But even in a modern army, soldiers aren't taught to solely rely on their primary weapon (e.g. assault rifle). Odds are they'll never need to rely on anything else, because a modern semi-automatic assault rifle is such a magnificently effective weapon in being able to kill so many people in such a short span of time (which is why they're illegal for civilian ownership in many parts of the world), but nonetheless, modern soldiers still have multiple "backups". e.g. sidearm (semi-automatic pistol), grenades, bayonet, knife, the guns themselves (can be used for clubbing/whipping), helmet (if you've ever held an army helmet you'll know how heavy they are - imagine smashing that into someone else's face), and as an absolute last resort, unarmed combat. And from this point we have various stages of backups in hand-to-hand combat. So a soldier has a really broad repertoire of techniques that s/he can rely upon, well past the inability to use their primary weapon.

And this is something that was really cool about the Optimus Prime vs Megatron fight in TFTM. When Megatron loses his fusion cannon he immediately begins enacting and improvising backup techniques. He first grabs a nearby energy blade and tries to gut Prime. When he loses this blade, he then resorts to bare-handed fighting and tries to rip out Prime's optics with his fingers. And Cybertronians should be more adept at fighting barehanded because, unlike organic life forms, they are often able to take substantial damage and keep on fighting. One of the few things that actually makes more sense in the live action movies is that the Cybertronians' munitions are powerful enough to kill each other in a single shot; it makes sense that the Cybertronians would develop more lethal weaponry to use on each other. Also, as a seasoned veteran of millions of years of war, he should be able to shelves his personal feelings in the heat of combat; that's what professionals do. Seeing a soldier freak out in the middle of a fight is akin to that scene from The Simpsons when Nick Riviera recalls his time in medical school where he's watching a video of an operation and upon the initial incision he cries, "Oh no, blood!" :rolleyes: Of course, Nick Riviera is supposed to be a grossly incompetent doctor...

[Paulbot]

Way to miss Jinto's point that Megatron's having a mental breakdown not that Megatron can't fight because he doesn't have his cannon. :rolleyes:


he should be able to shelves his personal feelings in the heat of combat; that's what professionals do

See above

It's kind of like the main point of this whole story