All Hail Megatron Issues 7 to 12

[Paulbot]

Comments on the first six issues here (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=916)

All Hail Megatron #7 comes out today, marking the start of the second half of the series. We all know that the first six issues have very mixed and heated reviews, lets see what we think of the second half of the story.

[lcz128]

That was AWESOME! :D

Slightly spoilerrific now




but yeah!Talk about tying in to what Furman's done! :D
Having EJ Su come in to do the bits in the 'past' was great as it was consistent with what came before and ties the two series' even closer in my opinion! Didn't expect any of that! While no explanation was given - they acknowledge the difference in altmodes! I like! :D

[Sam]

---- Drag over space below to reveal spoilers and thoughts ----

Do you guys think Mirage was the traitor? Personally I think it's too obvious so the traitor is probably someone else and Mirage just got beat up for no good reason.

Or maybe that's what the writer wants us to think - a kind "reverse psychology" thing.

Hmm...

[FFN]

That was AWESOME! :D

Slightly spoilerrific now




but yeah!Talk about tying in to what Furman's done! :D
Having EJ Su come in to do the bits in the 'past' was great as it was consistent with what came before and ties the two series' even closer in my opinion! Didn't expect any of that! While no explanation was given - they acknowledge the difference in altmodes! I like! :D I maintain that this issue is damage control over the negative reaction the series has received from some quarters of the fandom over continuity issues and the change in direction, especially as it's 7 issues into the series.

[Paulbot]

As noted above this is the first issue of the second "book" and as such the spoiler long awaited catch up of how they ended up in this situation end spoiler is appreciated.

I would have much preferred if the first issue spoiler had been the Autobots with new reinforcements preparing for a decisive victory, being betrayed, and ending with Optimus Prime seemingly killed in the spacebridge (I liked the reinvention of that) and Megatron holding the Matrix and threatening to conquer Earth.... After that issue 2 could have been what we saw in issue 1 and so on. The main theme of the story (what happens after you've won/lost) could still have been played out in the remaining 10 issues but it would have a much stronger opening IMHO.end spoiler

[lcz128]

I don't think it's damage control and rather it's how they planned it- cause really - these things are done months in advanced... Of course it could be my optimism blinding me ;)

Paulbot: I like how they've done it. They're using a now-commonly-used technique where you start smack bang in the middle and then they elaborate on how they got there. I think the elaboration may have come a tad late - issue 4/5would've been a nice spot - but I still think it works :)

[FFN]

I don't think it's damage control and rather it's how they planned it- cause really - these things are done months in advanced... Of course it could be my optimism blinding me ;)

Paulbot: I like how they've done it. They're using a now-commonly-used technique where you start smack bang in the middle and then they elaborate on how they got there. I think the elaboration may have come a tad late - issue 4/5would've been a nice spot - but I still think it works :) Yeah, I'm exceptionally cynical about this series. I will never believe their claims this series was originally written with Furman's stories in mind.

[kup]

Yeah, I'm exceptionally cynical about this series. I will never believe their claims this series was originally written with Furman's stories in mind.

I agree, I am personally convinced that AHM was meant to be in its own continuity until someone decided to clamp it to the Furman continuity very late in its development for possibly marketing reasons.

The above has kind of made me loose some respect for IDW as I feel that their official stance on AHM is dishonest and underestimates the intelligence of the readers because it doesn't take a genius to see that AHM doesn't have any coherence with what came before.

The deceptive style the the series was marketed also gave me a sour taste.

If they had just come clean from the start, I would be feeling better about IDW. That "we always had Furman's stories in mind" bit from IDW feel more like one of Super Star Funana's type claims.

[Sky Shadow]

Issue #7 was good.

S
P
O
I
L
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I think Paulbot's right - the flashbacks might have made a much better first issue, but they may also make a good first chapter for the second TPB. I'm glad they got rid of the *tion Decepticon designs - they annoy me - unless a comic has an outstanding reason to abandon toy designs (e.g. The War Within) all Transformers who actually have toys should be based on toys. Is there a reason why Devastator doesn't have his chestplate? Also on the subject of problems I have with the IDW designs... SIRSIB! (Spectro Is Red, Spyglass Is Blue!) Who's the blue Decepticon who looks like he Transforms into a Formula 1 car? Should I recognise him? He's not another Drift is he?

JAZZ: Any sign of Drift or Blurr?

Just made me think of:

HOMER SIMPSON: Whenever Poochie's not onscreen, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Poochie?" :p

Ironhide beating up Mirage was probably the most horrific thing I've ever seen in a Transformers comic - extremely well done by McCarthy and Guidi. And it's also good because now we know Mirage isn't the traitor - it's someone else (hurrah!) Overall a great issue - seventeen times better than issue #1, so hopefully the second trade paperback will continue that tradition. And best of all - no humans! (Except cameos from Hunter O'Nion and that-guy-who's-not-Lord-Zarak.)

[Paulbot]

Who's the blue Decepticon who looks like he Transforms into a Formula 1 car? Should I recognise him? He's not another Drift is he?

Yeah I wondered that too because it's clearly not any 1984/84/86 Decepticon. To me the body shape looked liked Swindle (Armada Starscream's Minicon) but the colours were wrong :confused:

The TFwiki names him as Deluge from G2!!! which made me happy to see an existing obscure character used instead of a generic one.

[Sky Shadow]

Yeah I wondered that too because it's clearly not any 1984/84/86 Decepticon. To me the body shape looked liked Swindle (Armada Starscream's Minicon) but the colours were wrong :confused:

The TFwiki names him as Deluge from G2!!! which made me happy to see an existing obscure character used instead of a generic one.

I can kind of see it now - they've taken a bit of licence with him, maybe that's his Cybertron mode? It's great if they've used Deluge though - I think it's hilarious that they've gone from using the most absolutely obvious Decepticons to using one that's relatively obscure and confusing (I think Deluge is the one who has the same toy as the Autobot Speedstream and has the same name as an Autobot who has the same mould as the Autobot form of Drench. Or something. I guess they needed a Decepticon mad scientist and Mixmaster was otherwise occupied. I wonder if McCarthy was taking the piss by using Deluge, since factions of the fandom [including me] had been vocal about the boring 84-85 lineup of Decepticons?) Although sadly it looks like the Autobots could have already killed Deluge and Dirge (unless the Decepticons got away.)

[GoktimusPrime]

Perhaps it was part of the 'tie-in' flashback to Furman's world littered with many TF characters beyond the first three years of G1. :p T'was interesting to see Viewfinder there too - I guess that incident must've happened before the events of Spotlight: Wheelie.

[Golden Phoenix]

Is there a reason why Devastator doesn't have his chestplate?
They redesigned him so he didn't have any parts coming from nowhere to complete the combined form.
I like it much better then having all these random parts needed to combined


T'was interesting to see Viewfinder there too - I guess that incident must've happened before the events of Spotlight: Wheelie.

I think it was said before AHM started that Wheelie's spotlight was set way in the future

[Sky Shadow]

They redesigned him so he didn't have any parts coming from nowhere to complete the combined form.

Which would mean he'd also have no head, forearms, hands and his body couldn't be attached to his legs.

[Golden Phoenix]

Which would mean he'd also have no head, forearms, hands and his body couldn't be attached to his legs.

They found ways around that
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/jimmey-11/other/ahm2devastator.jpg

And, with the exception of the head, I think he looks better for it

[GoktimusPrime]

LIO KAISER'D!!

[i_amtrunks]

7 was an improvement.
But then again almost anything would be an improvement.

Art was fantastic, every page was marvellously crafted, it is a shame such a talented artist is working on a book that is so badly written and paced.

I'm thinking that the Bombshell scenes happened in the past considering we saw Insecticons in the first issue flying around, and I doubt that it was drones fighting with Thundercracker and Skywarp in the last issue. There is no indication that this is the case, so the Bombshell part may be taking place in the here and now.

Much of this issue felt forced, like McCarthy was made to make changes to his script to half arsed-ly tie AHM into the Furmanverse a little better.. it's still a half arsed fusion. Fair enough to leave the Sunstreaker plot point vague, it's something that should be looked at in Max Dino's.

But (spoilers):
Prime having the Matrix, then really taking damage from an unexplained (and to me rather confusing) incident with the Spacebridge were very fustrating. It was very dues ex machina.

So it has taken 7 issues (the previous six could be condensed into one) to setup for the final five. If this was issue 1 or 2 the series would have been much better for it.

Over the next five issues I fully expect:
Prime to be repaired and returned, inspiring the Autobots to rally for a "final assault" on the Decepticons. Prime also forgives the traitor, and Ironhide for mauling Mirage.
Meanwhile Starscream has hatched another plan to overthrow Megatron, and the infighting between the Decepticons is taking hold as the Autobots attack, and the Decepticons are forced to flee, the Autobots saving the day and the USA from being nuked.
Cue corny joke and all the Autobots laughing at it in the final panel.

It's a 12 issue comic nod to the G1 cartoon series.

[blackie]

one of the main things i dont get about this is that they made all this fuss about the humans, and in the last 2 issues theyve dissapeared almost completely. after spike was almost killed, i expected that they would continue that part of it through, showing his mission.. it seems like a decent amount of time has passed since that happened, but it could also have been 5 minutes, its quite unclear

[Paulbot]

I'm thinking that the Bombshell scenes happened in the past considering we saw Insecticons in the first issue flying around, and I doubt that it was drones fighting with Thundercracker and Skywarp in the last issue. There is no indication that this is the case, so the Bombshell part may be taking place in the here and now.

I thought there was an "earlier" type caption on the flashback to the Insecticon's creation. The seekers in the previous issue mentioned something about three out of the swarm... I forget the exact reference. Anyway yes it's a flashback.


It's a 12 issue comic nod to the G1 cartoon series.

A comic that's a tribute to the G1 cartoon in the 25 anniversary year is not in itself a bad thing though from a marketing/sales point of view.

The actual execution of the tribute is where things have gone awry.

[GoktimusPrime]

I hope the following highly predictable things don't happen:
1/ The traitor turns out to be a slave of Bombshell via the use of a cerebro shell. If so, perhaps they could make the shell some kind of malicious program inserted into the Transformer's core consciousness, like the Predacon Shell Program in Beast Wars (meaning that attempting to tamper with the program can result in death for the victim) - that would be neat instead of the old "Yoink it's out" solution. :p
2/ The traitor is Mirage.

[Paulbot]

Or Mirage is a slave of Bombshell!? Maybe the traitor is spoiler?? Beachcomber again like in the Blaster Spotlight! :p

[i_amtrunks]

I have read a few interesting theories now, and the one I like is that (spoiler)
A squishie fleshbag, namely Hunter Onion may have betrayed the Autobots..

It's not likely, as it would mean McCarthy actually read what Furman has written, but its a fun theory.

[GoktimusPrime]

*avoids spoiler*

I hope it's not Mirage, 'cos that'd be so corny that I would need to erect a scarecrow next to my TF comics. :p I hope it's not Drift either... cos that would be so cheesy I'd need to set up mouse traps instead - and let's face it, we don't need another reason to resent/dislike Drift. (-_-)

[Paulbot]

It's interesting actually that the same issue that focuses on the betrayal/defeat of the Autobots also gives us an origin for Bombshell...

Maybe spoilery theorySunstreaker is still actually a Headmaster clone and not Sunstreaker at all. The cover of the next issue suggests a messy end for Sunstreaker but that could be perfect misdirection for the Headmaster, allowing the head to survive and not be found out.. /spoilery theory

[Sam]

It's interesting actually that the same issue that focuses on the betrayal/defeat of the Autobots also gives us an origin for Bombshell...

Maybe spoilery theorySunstreaker is still actually a Headmaster clone and not Sunstreaker at all. The cover of the next issue suggests a messy end for Sunstreaker but that could be perfect misdirection for the Headmaster, allowing the head to survive and not be found out.. /spoilery theory

That's an interesting theory, but when I saw that, I thought...

spoilery theoryHmmm ... is the traitor Sideswipe? Nah, I must be going crazzyyyyyyyyyy!!!/spoilery theory

[blackie]

oh paul that makes amazing sense. maybe you should get a new job writing comics :D

[Lord_Zed]

I picked up AHM Issue7 while at Paramatta today, I wanted to skip it and wait for the trade, but flipping through though the pages and seeing both E.J Su's art and action I couldn't resist. I have to say unlike the previous issues I enjoyed the issue all the way through. Even some things that I wasn't sure of like the Swarm are growing on me.

The E.J Su artwork + Josh Burcham colouring rocked, I like Guido Guidi's art, but Su's stern faced serious looking Megatron just blows the joly tyrant from the previous issues away. Also the battle scenes were cool, both Megatron ripping the Matrix from Primes chest, Cliffjumper loaded up with guns, and that slightly wierd looking Deluge guy(?) evoked fond memories of the G2 comic series.

Seeing Deluge (or whoever he was) and Dirge back, and mention of Ultra Magnus Scorponok made the comic feel like part of the IDW universe for the first time in the series.

Not entirely sure about the Space Hole Bridge that seems to have done in Prime, that seemed a bit odd.

Also did Dirge just gett offed again? Is the whole Dirge dying thing becomming a self fufilling prophesy? or does Mcarthy read the TF wiki?

All in all I think this issue fired on all cylinders, it almost feels like a different comic to the first 6 to me. if the next 5 issues are this good I'll be impressed.



So it has taken 7 issues (the previous six could be condensed into one) to setup for the final five. If this was issue 1 or 2 the series would have been much better for it.

Over the next five issues I fully expect:
Prime to be repaired and returned, inspiring the Autobots to rally for a "final assault" on the Decepticons. Prime also forgives the traitor, and Ironhide for mauling Mirage.
Meanwhile Starscream has hatched another plan to overthrow Megatron, and the infighting between the Decepticons is taking hold as the Autobots attack, and the Decepticons are forced to flee, the Autobots saving the day and the USA from being nuked.
Cue corny joke and all the Autobots laughing at it in the final panel.

It's a 12 issue comic nod to the G1 cartoon series.

You sum up both my feeling and fears for the series. I also worry that the traitor will turn out to be a cerebro shell victim, and some how everything will right itself to the staus quo in the end. Along those same lines regarding the preview cover of issue 8, I'm going to be very unhappy if Sunstreaker cheats death again!

[Paulbot]

Issue 8 is now out and basically anything I want to type about this issue is a spoiler, so...

Spoiler alertThe clearest link yet to the Furman series is in the final page which is a homage to the final page of one of Furman's comics. There's a comment about a new character that might be reflective of fan response. There's a character that looks like Perceptor but otherwise doesn't appear to be Perceptor. And Ironhide gets some good character moments in this issue. End Spoiler

[Sky Shadow]

Issue 8 is now out...

Some great work from the creative team this month.

Things I liked a lot:

- Reflector having multiple personality disorder.
- Starscream's scheming to change the title of the comic and his mysterious accomplice.
- The traitor and the fact that his reasoning behind his actions not only make sense but are also quite awesome from a character and storyline POV.
- Barely any humans (and those who are around all get tortured or killed. Hurrah!)
- That Bumblebee shares my opinion of Drift.

Things I disliked a lot.

- Perceptor and Drift being kewl yet again. Sigh.
- In terms of visual storytelling, I have no real idea what was going on during the Perceptor-is-kewl section.

So far, Volume II of AHM has been quite excellent. If the traitor's 'one condition' is fulfilled and Perceptor and Drift both die excruciatingly painful deaths it will be pretty much perfect. (No, it's not going to happen - I'm just saying.)

[hotaru_oz]

yeah I just got the latest issue yesterday and I don't want too say too much for the sake of spoilers but I am eagerly awaiting issue 9 :D

[Zahhak]

I personly like perceptor..but he does seem too..action hero-ey most of the time. I agree with skyshadow but I'd like to add a minor complaint that shrapnel still does not have his little speach qwirk, unless ofcourse he's spose happen via some sort of injury or something.

also the more I see the swarm the more I wanna make toys of them.

[liegeprime]

Some great work from the creative team this month.

Things I liked a lot:
- Barely any humans (and those who are around all get tortured or killed. Hurrah!)


ah something realistic then, good.
As it should be, its a wr of giant freaking robots rampaging everywhere, there SHOULD BE BLOODY CASUALTIESSSSSSS!!! I hate it even in the movies that when Prime fell from the building he was thrown from by Megsy when he landed no human got splat!! WTF?!? Good to see that is not the case in this fiction.

[Tallestblue]

Just read AHM #8 today! (One of the advantages of being buddy-buddy with people in a comic book store)

S!
P!!
O!!!
I!!!!
L!!!!!
E!!!!!!
R!!!!!!!
S!!!!!!!!

Lots of suspicions confirmed, and flashbacks to before AHM and the end of -TION and Maximum Dinobots, Sunstreaker being an enormous Jerk to Hunter, all of humanity and revealed as the Traitor! EEEE!! And the Last page with Hunter!! Double EEE!!

[i_amtrunks]

It's almost like between writing the script for issues 6 and 7 McCarthy was forced to read all the IDW stuff that preceded AHM, it's finally meshing into the other series.

Good call to Paulbot and others who picked the traitor, although for him to be exposed (at least to Ironhide) then sacrificing himself to save the rest of the team was very Hollywood.

I wonder know if Kup did know who the traitor was, or if he only knew that it wasn't Mirage?

A bit too Hollywood with Perceptor and Drift again, the upcoming Drift Spotlight should hopefully flesh out this cardboard cut-out character. Some more lines for 2nd tier character Cliffjumper, but other than Kup, Ironhide and the Traitor, barely anyone else bares a mention on the Autobot team.

Things were looking interesting on Earth, until the preview art for Issue #9.

Art is getting better and better, but I feel once Devastator is brought back, the problems might return, and since it would be most logical for the focus to switch to earth now, I guess that is going to happen.

So the series is improving, it was just one of those things where the series had to hit rock bottom before improving, all that has happened in issue 1-6 could have been made into 1 issue, these last two comics have been much better.

[roller]

at the meet up i asked McCarthy if he would have taken the series in a different direction at all, he said everything is pretty much how he planned it out, cept there would have been numerours traitors or something, i forget

But i liked issue 8 alot, sunstreaker you dog! :D

[griffin]

If Perceptor is being portrayed as a tough warrior type, that reflects his Marvel comic character. He was only a spineless, whimpy scientist in the cartoon. In the comic, he was the commander of an Autobot resistance cell.

[Sky Shadow]

If Perceptor is being portrayed as a tough warrior type, that reflects his Marvel comic character. He was only a spineless, whimpy scientist in the cartoon. In the comic, he was the commander of an Autobot resistance cell.

The problem is more that he's being portrayed like one of those people in films who wear long overcoats and jump sideways firing two guns at once in slow motion.

Without the long overcoat. :)

Basically, what Drift is to Japanese martial arts films, Perceptor is to action films with guns. And snipers.

[i_amtrunks]

If Perceptor is being portrayed as a tough warrior type, that reflects his Marvel comic character. He was only a spineless, whimpy scientist in the cartoon. In the comic, he was the commander of an Autobot resistance cell.

If he were only portrayed like he was in the comics, I'd be cheering, but as Skyshadow pointed out, he's portrayed in an over-the-top action-hero way.

There is a frame where I seriously believe McCarthy wanted the readers to view it in their minds as if he was doing the motions in bullet-time, with the whole 360 degree camera shtick.

[Paulbot]

And he's doing it all pretty mute. Even comic book Perceptor talked a lot, not silent assassin.

On one hand though I like the idea that the "scope" aspect of Perceptor allows him to be a sharpshooter... but you could have put Sureshot in that role too and nothing would change. It would have been much cooler if Perceptor turned into his seldom seen cannon/tank mode instead of pulling out big guns.

[GoktimusPrime]

...yeah... Drift = speedy sword munchkin, Perceptor = "I know Gun Fu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_fu)." Now we know what the Transformers movie would've been like if it were directed by John Woo or the Wachowski brothers. ;)

Any more cheese and AHM will start attracting rodents. :p

[i_amtrunks]

...yeah... Drift = speedy sword munchkin, Perceptor = "I know Gun Fu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_fu)." Now we know what the Transformers movie would've been like if it were directed by John Woo or the Wachowski brothers. ;)

Any more cheese and AHM will start attracting rodents. :p

Did you say cheese?
http://patrickdf.com/cartoons/chipndale/cheese.jpg

The previews for #9 do not fill me with hope, 5 straight pages of humans, including "the ever-so-always-cool-and-in-control" Spike...:(

[Sky Shadow]

The previews for #9 do not fill me with hope, 5 straight pages of humans, including "the ever-so-always-cool-and-in-control" Spike...:(

McCarthy does not write humans anywhere near as well as he writes robots. Guidi cannot draw humans well at all. They have a Transformers comic. In future, to avoid such weaknesses, it might be good for plots to be set up in such a way that humans are absent or background scenery, rather than characters.

[Paulbot]

In future, to avoid such weaknesses, it might be good for plots to be set up in such a way that humans are absent or background scenery, rather than characters.

Perhap's Sunstreaker's suggestion...? ;)

[Sky Shadow]

Perhap's Sunstreaker's suggestion...? ;)

:)

[Lord_Zed]

Finally read AHM #8 despite having a serious dislike of the first 6 issues, #7 brought me back into the fold. #8 was pretty good, only a few things bugged me and they've already been mentioned by Skyshadow.

The only thing that I thought should have been different is:
Spoiler
Given AHM's perchant for overly long winded scenes I thought Sunstreakers (sortof heroic) sacrafice was far to brief, given the magnitude of his guilt I was excpecting him to take some near fatal damage but refuse to shut down heroicly fighting his way to the centre of the bridge and detonating the bombs while literaly dead on his feet. While I know that's a bit cheesy it would be more memorable than the actual scene they went with.

If Sunstreaker somehow survives this then Transformers comics are all over as far as i'm concerned. :mad:

[Paulbot]

On your final comment, I suspect Furman's Mosaic may still come to pass and Hunter will be rescued and become the new Sunstreaker (kinda like Prime and HiQ in the Marvel Comics). I think this mainly because Hunter still has the headmaster armour despite the operation to separate them, and one of those clone bodies might still be hanging around.

[GoktimusPrime]

See, this is why Lucas clearly showed Aayla Secura being thoroughly gunned down in Revenge of the Sith... ain't no way anyone is gonna write some ridiculously stupid miraculous survival story like they did with Boba Fett (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Boba_fett#Survival)! ;)

[Golden Phoenix]

See, this is why Lucas clearly showed Aayla Secura being thoroughly gunned down in Revenge of the Sith... ain't no way anyone is gonna write some ridiculously stupid miraculous survival story like they did with Boba Fett (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Boba_fett#Survival)! ;)

They did with Darth Maul (who gets sliced in 2) and Quinlan Vos (the Tank he was on got blown up during order 66)

[liegeprime]

In future, to avoid such weaknesses, it might be good for plots to be set up in such a way that humans are absent or background scenery, rather than characters.

Yeah in the background, like blood/internal organ splotches on the feet of the TFs. A few decapitated limbs here and there, crushed like bugs, cut heads and legs sloshing on the ground with pools of blood. That in the background, or on the ground. honestly youd think there'sd be a live human when a decepticon is around, nadah, theyd be all massacred... thoroughly. like what we do with roaches and spiders..... splat!!:D

Oh and Zed, about sunstreaker, yah never know, mebbe he's as tough as BW waspinator, who, even with obviously the spark chamber has been totally mutilated , crushed still manages to inch his way to the CR chamber, and presto! Wzzzzpinator 's baaaack!, why not streaker heeheheh.

[Lord_Zed]

See, this is why Lucas clearly showed Aayla Secura being thoroughly gunned down in Revenge of the Sith... ain't no way anyone is gonna write some ridiculously stupid miraculous survival story like they did with Boba Fett (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Boba_fett#Survival)! ;)

Pffft all lies, Boba Fett died in the Sarlacc, Jar jar stole his armour and masqueraded as Fett and finally knew what it was like to be respected, that's what really happened.

With regards to G1 Transformers always comming back to life, its starting to get tiresome and predictable, popular characters just seem to have total immunity to spark loss.

[hotaru_oz]

Techniclly I don't count a character dead until I see a corpse,

[Sky Shadow]

Techniclly I don't count a character dead until I see a corpse,

Even that doesn't work with Transformers. We see dead robots brought back to life all the time. I could count the number of times I've seen an Optimus Prime corpse brought back to life on the Terrorcons' fingers.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah - technically a Transformer dies when their Spark/Laser Core/Primal Essence is extinguished... basically the "rule" is that if you see a Transformer get fragged, s/he's presumed KIA until further noticeretcon. ;)

Of course if your name contains "Optimus" or the suffix "~tron" then death is entirely a moot point. :p

[i_amtrunks]

regarding your point about Sunstreaker Zed, if the scene had have played out like you thought it would, it would have been another nail in the coffin for AHM to me.

We already had scenes that looked like McCarthy ripped them straight out of the movies, didnt need another one in issue #8.

Would have been better for the character though.

[Lord_Zed]

regarding your point about Sunstreaker Zed, if the scene had have played out like you thought it would, it would have been another nail in the coffin for AHM to me.

We already had scenes that looked like McCarthy ripped them straight out of the movies, didnt need another one in issue #8.

Would have been better for the character though.

The whole bridge scene was ripped straight from movieland as a conveniant heroic sacrafice for Sunstreaker, I just thought a little padding might make it mor meaningfull. Now if he comes back he'll be redeemed because of his sacrafice and all will be forgiven. It would have been cooler If Drift had saved him and forced him to live with his guilt and the hatred of the other Autobots.

I really miss the Marvel days when I actualy felt despair when chracters died, sure they often came back, but at least they waited a few years.

[i_amtrunks]

I really miss the Marvel days when I actualy felt despair when chracters died, sure they often came back, but at least they waited a few years.

Sometimes they didnt even come back with the ability to transform, you know to throw a spanner into the works!

So damn glad Drift didn't save Streaker, his Spotlight has alot of work to do to make me even like the character, let alone care for him at all.

[Sam]

I got issue 9 today, must say I was really disappointed with the artwork for the pages with human characters.

[Paulbot]

I got issue 9 today, must say I was really disappointed with the artwork for the pages with human characters.

I read it has two fill in artists, one for humans one for robots. Bit of a shame that a maxi-series can't have the same artist in each issue. :(

[blackie]

just read the 5 page preview, and the way its looking to me is that to add in some extra comics into the series there having all these humans, seems like one big money making scheme to me

they get to a climactic and special point in the story then they cut to this crap with spike... WHO CARES :P

what we need is an 8 issue series, with no humans
would sell much better :D

[Sky Shadow]

[Vague SPOILERS for issue #9]

A nice scene between Ironhide and Mirage and I think it's clever that the latter has chosen to go a bit Armada Wheeljack/Shattered Glass Sideswipe for the time being.

It seems like McCarthy is reading the fandom criticism and turning it into in-jokes:

Ratchet: "I'd give anything to have Perceptor right now - the old Perceptor. Like this war needed another clown with a gun."

Bumblebee (still hating Drift for not being GeeWun enough to be part of the '84-'86 Autobots): "What right does he have to be even in this room?"

Artwise, Emiliano Santalucia did an amazing job with the Autobot scenes - it was hard to tell it wasn't Guido Guidi, except for the fact that it was actually better than usual. I can't say the same for Robert Deas's cartoony human/Decepticon scenes.

I must have missed something, but why are the Autobots all better and healed now? How did they go from 'unwell' to 'well'. Was it a lot of work from Ratchet and has quite a bit of time passed? Where did Universe Hound come from? A CR chamber? He seemed to appear out of nowhere in #7 and it looks like he's here to stay. Then again, he's not the only one to appear out of nowhere.

Bigger SPOILERS for this issue: Yes - Optimus Prime inexplicably reappeared this issue apropros of nothing as a complete anticlimax. Probably because the Autobots realised that after all their decompression, they only have three issues to actually do anything. Anyway, he's been back for two pages and already I wish he'd go away again.

Still, even though nothing beyond a bit of character development really happens (except that one thing that happened out of the blue this issue for no apparent reason) I enjoy reading this comic. Ultimately, it really is different to what has come before. I look forward to seeing how it ties up.

[i_amtrunks]

Bumblebee (still hating Drift for not being GeeWun enough to be part of the '84-'86 Autobots): "What right does he have to be even in this room?"

I thought that it was for a different reason than that...

[Sky Shadow]

I thought that it was for a different reason than that...

Well... yes, presumably. I just enjoy the fact that Bumblebee keeps saying things to Drift like:

"The last thing we want is you being true to what you are."

...because I can imagine that Bumblebee's talking about Drift being a Gary Stu fancharacter. Or:

(Massive flaming explosion that would destroy everything in its maw)

RATCHET: "What about Drift? Isn't he back there?"

BUMBLEBEE: "Does it matter?"

Bwahahaha! :D

[genechan]

I got issue 9 today, must say I was really disappointed with the artwork for the pages with human characters.

Yeah I agree.

I have a idea with the preview pic for next issue...civil war between the Decepticon ranks? :O

Also it was suprising (maybe...prob sad at the same time) to see Soundwave actually show some sort of emotion towards Rumble getting hurt. Interesting....

[hotaru_oz]

ugh the artwork on the human/decepticon scenes were terrible, wasn't too fond of it at all.

[Zahhak]

Also it was suprising (maybe...prob sad at the same time) to see Soundwave actually show some sort of emotion towards Rumble getting hurt. Interesting....

Very surprising, it's hard to tell for sure since soundwave dosn't have much in the way of facial expressions. Also does soundwave let out like a...sonic scream/wail?

[GoktimusPrime]

...I didn't like that scene. Soundwave doesn't care about Rumble. He doesn't care about anyone except himself - that's why all the other Decepticons hate him. (-_-)

From Soundwave's G1 bio & tech specs:

Opportunist. Despised by all other Decepticons. // Often a target of retaliation by his comrades.
Reference (http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/techspecs/decepticon/1984/ts_soundwave.jpg)

From Soundwave's G1 TF: Universe profile:

...beneath his smooth-talking, affable surface beats the generator coil of a blackmailer. // Soundwave is the ultimate opportunist... // Although they all despise him, the other Decepticons pretend to like him rather than get on his bad side. As Rumble explains, "Soundwave always has the last laugh." // At times (Soundwave's) hateful personality has resulted in retaliation from (other Decepticons), or worse yet, his abandonment during battle with the Autobots.
...that last line indicates that Soundwave hates his fellow Decepticons as much as they hate him.

So that scene really irritated me as Soundwave was behaving completely out of character. Freakin' sonic-emo. (-_-) I really hope something's gonna happen later to logically explain why the hell Soundwave reacted that way.


Also does soundwave let out like a...sonic scream/wail?
No! That's Frenzy's ability! Again, out of character. If this were an RPG and I were the Dungeon Master, I'd so be deducting experience points from Soundwave for behaving out of character... the player would need to make a heavily penalised save roll vs. insanity. And the whole use of a sonic scream would've been over-ruled... I'd be like, "show me your character sheet" and then explain to the player how he can't do that. Grrr.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Summoner%20Geeks%20photocomic/dsummoner08.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Summoner%20Geeks%20photocomic/dsummoner09.jpg

The artwork for the Earth scenes... umm... very Cartoon Networkish. Like something out of Powerpuff Girls, Clone Wars or Transformers Animated. Looks kinda strange in AHM though. Overall I didn't think the art was bad, just a very different style from what we've been used to. Doesn't gel well though - I mean, if they wanted to use that style of art they should've done so from the very beginning and used it consistently. It's disconcerting flicking between a very cartoonish Earth and more traditionally drawn Cybertron. And when did Spike get so freakin' hairy?! What is he, Wolverine?!? Like... ewww. :p

[genechan]

Maybe they are shedding some light on Soundwave and his Cassettes, perhaps their idea (not sure lol). Because there could be the possibility that Soundwave does to some degree care only for the cassettes...damnnit he is quite a mysterious character isn't he.

[Zahhak]

I can't decide weather I like that scene or not, I agree it's completly not Soundwave. Even in the old cartoon series the only emotion I remember him showing like that was petting ravage like a pet.
It's mainly the fact that its rumble I think erks me, in megatron origins rumble and frenzy didn't even want to be part of soundwaves little army and in AHM..1 or 2 when they showed frenzy new psyco gimmick...I get the feeling that was Soundwaves idea.
I mean if it was laserbeak/buzzsaw/ravage I can imagine him caring a bit as they were more like his pets and(for what they showed) pretty much 100% loyal and obidiant...rammble rammble rammble
AHM #10 has alot of s'plainin to do!

[FFN]

I ain't happy about the whole Sunstreaker thing. I liked where Furman was (intending) to go with the HQ/Prime-style merging and melding of minds for Hunter and Sunstreaker as glimpsed in Hail and Farewell (I wonder how much was going on in the back rooms at IDW for Furman to create that as canon to his story without the knowledge that his entire storyline had been dropped in favour of AHM).

As callous as Sunstreaker is, it's just not Sunstreaker to want all humans dead. He isn't an idiot. One group of humans captured him, not all humans were responsible.

There are reasons why seemingly jerkface 'bots such as he and Grimlock joined the Autobots rather than the Decepticons.

[GoktimusPrime]

and in AHM..1 or 2 when they showed frenzy new psyco gimmick...
Actually that's not new - G1 Frenzy's always had that ability. The G1 cartoon never used it (they just made Frenzy a Rumble clone) but he did use it in the comics. In G2 Wheeljack amped him up to the max when they were fighting the Swarm and Frenzy literally vibrated himself into oblivion (though with a massive happy smile on his face, appreciating the sheer power that Wheeljack had given him).

From Frenzy's G1 tech specs:

"Sow panic and surrender will bloom."
He knows no cause, only craves to spread fear and destruction. // Can roll his drums to produce high-pitch, grating sound of 200db. Disorients and disrupts electrical flow in opponent's circuitry which makes them malfunction.
And in G1 he did use this ability against humans too (http://tfwiki.net/w2/images2/a/ae/Frenzyhahaha.jpg).

So I really like AHM Frenzy - he's definitely in-character with his G1 counterpart. :)


I mean if it was laserbeak/buzzsaw/ravage I can imagine him caring a bit as they were more like his pets and(for what they showed) pretty much 100% loyal and obidiant...rammble rammble rammble
Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ravage aren't semi-sentient beasts - they are fully sentient and intelligent beings like other Transformers. They all spoke in the comics, Ravage spoke once in the G1 cartoon and spoke a lot in Beast Wars.

In The Headmasters, when Soundwave and Blaster killed each other, it was the Decepticon cassettes who rebuilt Soundwave as Soundblaster (and likewise the Autobot cassettes rebuilt Blaster as Twincast). So there's one example of the cassettes caring for Soundwave. Though still not necessarily Soundwave caring for the cassettes... that and the fact that it would've been written at Takara's behest to sell the Soundblaster toy! :p


As callous as Sunstreaker is, it's just not Sunstreaker to want all humans dead. He isn't an idiot. One group of humans captured him, not all humans were responsible.

There are reasons why seemingly jerkface 'bots such as he and Grimlock joined the Autobots rather than the Decepticons.
Grimlock was pretty nasty king. ;)

Also, I think that it's meant to show how heavily traumatised Sunstreaker became after his horrific experience at the hands of the Machination - developing a deep-seated resentment against humans. Perhaps pre-Machination Sunstreaker was the Sunstreaker we're more familiar with, but after his time with the Machination he changed. I'd say what they did to him was more than enough to justify him falling toward darkness. But at the same time you could tell that Sunstreaker was loaded with guilt about his deal with the devil - it was consuming him from the inside. This still shows that he is still a good character. Good characters still do bad things, but they differ from evil characters in that they don't revel in it and rather feel bad about it. He also tried to justify it to himself with an attempted utilitarian rationale - that they would sacrifice another world to save theirs (and thus the galaxy?). In the end he realised that he was wrong, hence his confession and attempted redemption.

I thought it was good showing that Autobots (and Decepticons) aren't good or evil by nature, but by the decisions and actions they make. Now IDW still need to work on further developing Sunstreaker from where he is in Maximum Dinos to what he became in AHM... but of course, that's been an issue with AHM from the outset. Hopefully it'll all make sense when everything's done and dusted. Yeah, I'm being optimistic. :p

[Sky Shadow]

In The Headmasters, when Soundwave and Blaster killed each other, it was the Decepticon cassettes who rebuilt Soundwave as Soundblaster (and likewise the Autobot cassettes rebuilt Blaster as Twincast). So there's one example of the cassettes caring for Soundwave. Though still not necessarily Soundwave caring for the cassettes...

Plus, we all know the cassettes are willing to fight for Soundwave and believe that he is, at the very least, not uncrassamatic. :)

[Paulbot]

I haven't got #9 yet as the shipment from the US was delayed, but it sounds like we're seeing in canon Raksha's infamous take on Soundwave as the parent (father/mother) of the cassettes.

[GoktimusPrime]

Well... that's... just... PRIME. What next? The Decepticon jets as "brothers"?? (-_-) Bad fanfic writing FTL!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/facepalm.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/jam_pain.jpg

[Lord_Zed]

Having just read AHM #9 I found it pretty lacklustre compared to the previous 2 issues. I could barely contain my fake suprise when It was revealed that Optimus Prime and Spike had survived! Who'd a thunk it.

That said the scene with ironhide and Mirage was pretty good, everything else was kindof predictable. Except maybe that wierd Soundwave bit, and when did Rumble get so big?


Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
And when did Spike get so freakin' hairy?! What is he, Wolverine?!? Like... ewww.

How do you know he wasn't before have you been spying on Spike in the mens locker room? :D

I''d be more interested to know when all the human characters spontaneously decided to wear super tight shirts.

[Zahhak]

Actually that's not new - G1 Frenzy's always had that ability. The G1 cartoon never used it (they just made Frenzy a Rumble clone) but he did use it in the comics.

I almost forgot about that. Very good point,



Laserbeak, Buzzsaw and Ravage aren't semi-sentient beasts - they are fully sentient and intelligent beings like other Transformers. They all spoke in the comics, Ravage spoke once in the G1 cartoon and spoke a lot in Beast Wars.

True. but they havn't shown that sort of sentince in IDW series..but then again just because I havn't seem it, that shouldn't mean I should just assume.


As callous as Sunstreaker is, it's just not Sunstreaker to want all humans dead. He isn't an idiot. One group of humans captured him, not all humans were responsible.

If a bunch of aliens I was trying to protect did that to me, yeah I'd do the same, don't read that as: therefore so would sunstreaker. I'm just saying it's not unnatrul to think that way..after all if you get bitten by a dog is it not possiable you grow to fear/hate all dogs.
Also sunstreaker did seem to be more then a little ashamed of himself for his actions.

[SilverDragon]

Well... that's... just... PRIME. What next? The Decepticon jets as "brothers"?? (-_-) Bad fanfic writing FTL!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/facepalm.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/jam_pain.jpg

I'd like to point out that that's probably been done, and that badfic has moved far beyond that to having interspecies romance to the point of Optimus Prime having a human kid who is the AllSpark...somehow. (http://community.livejournal.com/marysues/2627934.html)

[FFN]

Whatever.

Sunstreaker thirsted for vengeance against Scorponok, Abraham Dante and the Machination, not the entire human race. One bloody hopes he learned something about humanity and its positive aspects from his time with Hunter.

[genechan]

I just hope the next issue has some answers D:

(kinda off topic) Hotaru and I have been wondering where Bluestreak is D: We are hoping he is around.

[Sky Shadow]

I'm just saying it's not unnatrul to think that way..after all if you get bitten by a dog is it not possiable you grow to fear/hate all dogs.

That's a perfect analogy. It's not like humans haven't caused the wilful extinction of other animals and humans genocidally attack insects and arachnids every day. We try to kill other mammals that share most of our DNA for food and clothing or animals like rabbits with myxomatosis and calicivirus. I think Sunstreaker has every right to want the human race wiped out. And as he's a giant robot, we should be less than mosquitos to him.

[i_amtrunks]

Uh, how the hell did Prime go from next to dead to brand new and shiny in only a few pages? Could it be a hologram of sorts?

And someone else on another board noticed Mirage had red eyes... so that is either:
a) a monumental stuff up
b) more than obvious upcoming plot point for the monthly series

[genechan]

Uh, how the hell did Prime go from next to dead to brand new and shiny in only a few pages? Could it be a hologram of sorts?


Maybe they got the supplies they needed from Kup and Co...or something like that, cos Sideswipe has his right arm back...and everyone who was injured is back up to normal.

[GoktimusPrime]

Maybe they used that blue liquid that the Junkions used on Ultra Magnus in Transformers The Movie that made him look minty fresh despite being hastily reconstructed after having been blown to smithereens by Decepticons. ;) :D

[Golden Phoenix]

Didn't one of them say they were doing some risky procedure using all of their remaining energon?

or something...

The Allspark did it!

[hotaru_oz]

yeah I'll go with the All spark theory

[genechan]

Yep lets all point at the All Spark and say "He did it!!"...that will solve everything ;)

[GoktimusPrime]

Cosmic MacGuffin'd!! :D

[Sky Shadow]

Sari used her key.

[Lord_Zed]

They should have just repaired Prime with bits of Sunstreaker. :D

Kups secret base is obviously well equipped seeing as how they restored all the Autobots pretty easily.

[loophole]

They should have just repaired Prime with bits of Sunstreaker. :D

Introducing the new and improved PrimeStreaker!!:D

[i_amtrunks]

Introducing the new and improved PrimeStreaker!!:D

With extra hate for humanity!

[kup]

SPOILERS



I have just finished reading Issues #7-9

Issue 7

I was very impressed with Issue 7 because most of it was dedicated to actually repairing the continuity holes between Furman's IDW and AHM. It wasn't 'half a$$ed' either but reasonably thougtout requiering the author to revise the previous material which seems like something he had neglected to do before but now understand the importance of doing so.

Yeah its not perfect and still very clunky but at least its wiping out the 'bad taste' that AHM Vol 1 gave us as this issue was all dedicated at acknowledging what happened before rather than ditching it. Now at least we have more solid 'continuity' between the series than some out of story press release or panel answer that makes no sense at all.

However it is still utter bull crap that in AHM 1 to 6 they took the Furman universe into account when it was written - Despite Issue 7 being rather good and well thought out, it still reeks of forced 'damage control' probably as a result of less than expected 'enthusiasm' from the fan base on Vol 1 and lackluster sales.

However this 'damage control' did serve to bring us a worthy issue with a nice background story that revitalizes how we view this series. The art was also fantastic and like mentioned, it is good to see at least one none Geewhunner character in the mix with Deluge.

Character development and execution of the Autobots was excellent with Ironhide beating up Mirage very shocking and although out of character for him, it was believable due to their circumstances. There were also several good minor character moments.


Issue 8

Issue 8 brought us a good revelation of the traitor which was still possible to predict but not 'scooby doo' obvious as we expected based on the tone and witless nature of issues 1-6 but with a well thought out and somewhat in depth reason for Sunstreaker's 'treason'. His sacrifice was not in a 'blaze of glory' but it was tragic enough to show that despite what he did, he did regret it and wasn't necessarily an evil character but a good one who made a terrible mistake by acting on anger and grief. Another Autobot centric issue which shines with clever dialogue and fine character moments.


Issue 9


Unfortunately Issue 9 was a lesser issue than the previous two due to really bad 'on earth' art that brought back real bad memories of the Pat Lee era but also reminded us of the bad points of Issues 1-6. The humans in particular were horribly drawn and written in the same bad cliche as the Volume 1 issues. There was even some bad 'Geewhunner' stereotype mistakes with Soundwave..



..For some reason I have noticed that Geewhunners (cartoon came first, Comics don't count, I don't collect stupid toys, Pretenders are G2, trukk not munky) have a tendency to strongly associate Soundwave with music. When ROTF Soundwave was announced many Geewhunners begun to shout out stupid crap like "You must acknowledge Soundwave's musical past!". Serioustly, WTF? What musical past? He was never 'musical' in G1 - Not even in the cartoon. He was a freaking tape recorder for recording people - spying! Not a music playing walkman! I hate Animated Soundwave for the same stupid reason - Blaster was the musical one, not Soundwave!!



When I saw Soundwave apparently using what is basically Frenzy's sonic ability but with music, It reminded me of the Geewhunner mentality which plagued Vol 1 and it kind of annoyed me even if I did find the way in which he picked up Rumble somewhat touching. However its possible that this Soundwave is capable of channeling his tapes abilities if they are residing inside him which would be a good redeemer.

On the other side, the Autobot plot were once again very well done even if the main story is something we did predict back in issue #2 with Prime coming back, getting the Autobots into shape and eventually defeating Megatron until the next comic series. The difference here despite being a highly predictable outcome was its execution, it wasn't cringe worthy and frustrating as it was throughout Issues 1-6 with Volume 2 as there were plenty of fine character moments and development with a few minor twists. Having two solid issues so far and a 'not too bad' issue as the third.

Overall, I am happy and give credit to the author for deciding to acknowledge the previous IDW stories in his work and making a conscious effort to meld them together even if it does still feel rather forced. I also give him praise for apparently acknowledging reader criticism and working to rectify the shortcomings of Volume 1.

AHM is still a 'by the numbers' story with a predictable end that can be seen miles away (like Prime's recovery and eventual leadership) but the focus on the character's dilemmas is what keeps this story interesting and what the writer seems to be focusing on in this second Volume making it a story worth following.

When it comes to our friend Poochy*cough!* I mean Drift!: Although the way this character had been promoted still utterly fails (same is true for Vol 1's overall promotion) but it feels really good to have a character within the story that hates Drift in the same was as we do. :) Bumblebee's unexplained but unforgiving dislike towards Drift actually acknowledges that the author is aware of how this character is perceived by fans but at the same time it also bounces a bit of charm back at drift making him easier to digest as we know that within the fictional world, there is someone who hates him as much as we do and is not afraid to express it!

Quotes Thanks to Skyshadow:
(they are too good, I needed to post them again! ;))

Ratchet: "I'd give anything to have Perceptor right now - the old Perceptor. Like this war needed another clown with a gun." - Acknowledging criticism that AHM was just a bunch of simplistic cardboard cutout 'action' characters.

Bumblebee (regarding Drift): "What right does he have to be even in this room?" - lol pretty much putting to print what we are all thinking!

Bumblebee (to Drift): "The last thing we want is you being true to what you are." - That one speaks for itself!

JAZZ: Any sign of Drift or Blurr?

/\

HOMER SIMPSON: Whenever Poochie's not onscreen, all the other characters should be asking "Where's Poochie?"

\/

RATCHET: "What about Drift? Isn't he back there?"

BUMBLEBEE: "Does it matter?" - lol

[GoktimusPrime]

Soundwave was originally a street lamp for several millenia on Cybertron long before he became a walkman on Earth! They need to acknowledge his street-lamp past!!

MICHAEL BAY KILLED MY CHILDHOOOOOOOOO0OOOOO0OOOOD!!1`! :p :p

[i_amtrunks]

Having got the chance to read the issue cover to cover, I cannot say I hate issue #9, barring of course the bane of this series (the humans), and the horrible "art" it wasn't a total waste.

The Mirage and Ironhide scene was well done, and as a whole the Autobot scenes were good. We all knew Prime would return fit as a fiddle (seemingly 5 seconds after Ratchet said he might die), without an explanation, this is a comic based around the G1 cartoon after all.

Still half the issue was wasted by having the humans in it. Sure seeing Frenzy take a hit to the face was good and all, but I still feel nothing for any of the human characters.

[Lord_Zed]

Errrrrm you mean Rumble right?

I actualy though the artist who did that part drew better humans than TF's, Rumble ans Soundwave just looked so detail less, and Rumbles face didn't even get scratched by a direct hit. The humans were at least drawn consistently even if they were all wearing spandex shirts. Still overall not a fan of the art.

And is it just me or was Rumble huge compared to the size Frenzy was many issues ago?

[kup]

And is it just me or was Rumble huge compared to the size Frenzy was many issues ago?

No its not you, Rumble looks huge compared to Frenzy in issue two but then again no panel really shows us Frenzy's proper scale in those issues as he is drawn either too close to the foreground or at the back in the background so his scale is a bit ambiguous as there is no real measurement compared to humans or buildings.

[roller]

SPOILERS



Bumblebee's unexplained but unforgiving dislike towards Drift actually acknowledges that the author is aware of how this character is perceived by fans but at the same time it also bounces a bit of charm back at drift making him easier to digest as we know that within the fictional world, there is someone who hates him as much as we do and is not afraid to express it!



Is it written somewhere by McCarthy that, that is the reason as to why Bumblebee acts badly to Drift?

to me it was out of character and unexplained as to why bumblebee made so many negative comics about Drift. Or is it another story ive missed eg: a spotlight that explains this angst?

The art for issue 9 stinks, i couldn't recognise lisa and the black guy. I thought Spike was saying "charles?"

They were saying Prime was damaged and a few panels later he's up and walking and telling them to be heroic?? i confused:confused: really i am, they said he was wrecked.

So sunstreakers dead right?

[Hereticpoo]

I liked AHM at the start. Now I feel like its floating back into the "never ending story verse", which is a bit Meh.

I wonder how much of Smacarthy's original concept for the series remains in these few remaining issue's. I bet my left nut that he's been forced to compromise the original story because of the higher ups. It would've been cool if they had of just made the series a what if standalone.

My prediction for Volume 12, last panel.

Megatron: "Decepticons.....Retreat!!!"

Optimus Prime: "I hope we all learned a very important lesson, Dont talk to strangers Kids" :D

[GoktimusPrime]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Tae%20Kwon%20Leap%20Photocomic/taekwonleap22.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Tae%20Kwon%20Leap%20Photocomic/taekwonleap23.jpg

Spiderman: "What's the other half?"
Duke: "Violence."
Twisted ToyFare Theatre

:D

[Hereticpoo]

Lolz Gok! I was right, there is a jangle fixation on this board!

[i_amtrunks]

AHM #10 five page preview (http://au.comics.ign.com/articles/971/971379p1.html)

From IGN, so not as good as Comic Continuum, as the images are tiny, and wont open larger (at least not for me).

At least there isn't a single squishy in sight on those 5 pages.

[Sky Shadow]

AHM #10 five page preview (http://au.comics.ign.com/articles/971/971379p1.html)

From IGN, so not as good as Comic Continuum, as the images are tiny, and wont open larger (at least not for me).

At least there isn't a single squishy in sight on those 5 pages.

Nice. All This And Civil War 3. The direct links for the pages are:

http://au.media.comics.ign.com/media/142/14265250/img_6635148.html
http://au.media.comics.ign.com/media/142/14265250/img_6635154.html
http://au.media.comics.ign.com/media/142/14265250/img_6635152.html
http://au.media.comics.ign.com/media/142/14265250/img_6635146.html
http://au.media.comics.ign.com/media/142/14265250/img_6635142.html
http://au.media.comics.ign.com/media/142/14265250/img_6635144.html
http://au.media.comics.ign.com/media/142/14265250/img_6635150.html

[genechan]

Just brought and read Issue 10...rather short and uneventful I must say, but also VERY interesting especially on the 'Con's side :3

[Paulbot]

I picked up #9 and #10 today.

The human elements in #9 weren't as bad as I thought they'd be from the other reviews. Even Soundwave's rage wasn't as bad as it seemed to be from what others had said.

Issue 10 though put the focus back on the Transformers and there were some pretty cool events going on.

I'm not sure that is Optimus Prime though! Ratchet tells Kup the Autobots have no morale and that repairs on Prime will take time.

A few pages later Prime walks in with morale boosting speech and the Autobots are ready to fight.

But looks who's missing. Ratchet. After that chat with Kup, Ratchet does not appear again in issue 9 or in issue 10. Why? Because he's still working on the real Prime?

I thought maybe it was a hologram like iamtrunks suggested because there was no sign of Hound either after Prime came back, but he reappeared in #10 (although only for just one panel).

Maybe this new Optimus Prime is actually a repainted Ultra Magnus ;)

[Golden Phoenix]

Maybe this new Optimus Prime is actually a repainted Ultra Magnus ;)

That's just not right. It should be Toy-Accurate!
Magnus should be the repaint, not Prime.

[Zahhak]

AHM#10 seems to be lacking in dialouge. It could just be me but there seemed to be alot fewer words said during a whole thing making it a quicker read.

[Sky Shadow]

I'm not sure that is Optimus Prime though! Ratchet tells Kup the Autobots have no morale and that repairs on Prime will take time.

A few pages later Prime walks in with morale boosting speech and the Autobots are ready to fight.

But looks who's missing. Ratchet. After that chat with Kup, Ratchet does not appear again in issue 9 or in issue 10. Why? Because he's still working on the real Prime?

I thought maybe it was a hologram like iamtrunks suggested because there was no sign of Hound either after Prime came back, but he reappeared in #10 (although only for just one panel).

If your suppositions are correct then that's an intriguing plot twist. I wonder which characters would be in on it... perhaps just Kup, Jazz, Ratchet and Hound? Oh, and Drift of course. Hmm... Hound only appeared just in time for Volume 2 - perhaps this plotline was an idea that grew organically out of the story, but McWriter hadn't originally planned it? I'm not going to underestimate him anymore - I've enjoyed this volume so far and Prime's reappearance went so much against the grain so I'm willing to accept that its a militaristic win-at-any-cost scam from Kup.

(I've also now read Spotlight: Drift and it turns out that the new taciturn-John-Woo-Perceptor may be a result of Perceptor's loquaciousness getting him slagged. Okay, I'll buy that. And I also look forward to the upcoming story that explains how Kup went from crazy-Nick-Roche-zombie-killing-Vietnam-vet to Nick-Fury-leading-the-Wreckers.)

[GoktimusPrime]

And I also look forward to the upcoming story that explains how Kup went from crazy-Nick-Roche-zombie-killing-Vietnam-vet to Nick-Fury-leading-the-Wreckers.
lawls @ analogy. :D

[Paulbot]

If your suppositions are correct then that's an intriguing plot twist. I wonder which characters would be in on it... perhaps just Kup, Jazz, Ratchet and Hound? Oh, and Drift of course. Hmm... Hound only appeared just in time for Volume 2 - perhaps this plotline was an idea that grew organically out of the story, but McWriter hadn't originally planned it? I'm not going to underestimate him anymore - I've enjoyed this volume so far and Prime's reappearance went so much against the grain so I'm willing to accept that its a militaristic win-at-any-cost scam from Kup.

Maybe Prowl and Springer are in on it too as they walk in behind "Optimus" in issue 9. Ratchet told Kup the Autobots need morale and "Prime" gave it to them.

Until Hound had that one panel appearance in issue 10 I was totally convinced it was Hound in disguise.

Now the question is just where is Ratchet?


(And I also look forward to the upcoming story that explains how Kup went from crazy-Nick-Roche-zombie-killing-Vietnam-vet to Nick-Fury-leading-the-Wreckers.)

Kup did credit Perceptor with his new upgraded body in the Drift Spotlight.

[Sky Shadow]

Kup did credit Perceptor with his new upgraded body in the Drift Spotlight.

Yes - I believe we already knew Kup had an upgraded body from Spotlight: Optimus Prime. It's his upgraded mind that I want to find out about. Which will apparently be dealt with in the AHM: Coda that Nick Roche is drawing.

[roller]

did u all notice that when Optimus makes his miraculous recovery, theres a black bar above his chest.

I say hes pulled a sadam and got a robot double

[i_amtrunks]

Yeah, this cannot get more G1 cartoon like if it tried now.

The autobots have a miraculous recovery of Prime followed by another miraculous arrival...:rolleyes:

And they get to arrive on Earth at the exact right moment when the Humans are fighting back, the Decepticons are at their weakest due to infighting...

I guess the nice twist at the end could be if Prime was still out of commission on Cybertron, but that cant be as I cannot see Kup, Prowl, Jazz and co leaving him behind unprotected when they head to Earth. If he is a holograph, Hound sure knows what to say, and knew of the new arrivals previous adverntures...

Spotlight Drift gave a few answers to questions regarding Perceptor and Kup's upgrades, so in regards to Kup it finally gives us an answer. Poochie/Drift still gets a few front and centre panels too.

Anyone think they get the Ironhide Mirage stuff? It only confused me as to what it was meant to be.

Writing is still weak and obvious, but the art was great for issue #10.

[Lord_Zed]

Yeah, this cannot get more G1 cartoon like if it tried now.

The autobots have a miraculous recovery of Prime followed by another miraculous arrival...:rolleyes:

And they get to arrive on Earth at the exact right moment when the Humans are fighting back, the Decepticons are at their weakest due to infighting...

I guess the nice twist at the end could be if Prime was still out of commission on Cybertron, but that cant be as I cannot see Kup, Prowl, Jazz and co leaving him behind unprotected when they head to Earth. If he is a holograph, Hound sure knows what to say, and knew of the new arrivals previous adverntures...

Spotlight Drift gave a few answers to questions regarding Perceptor and Kup's upgrades, so in regards to Kup it finally gives us an answer. Poochie/Drift still gets a few front and centre panels too.

Anyone think they get the Ironhide Mirage stuff? It only confused me as to what it was meant to be.

Writing is still weak and obvious, but the art was great for issue #10.


Nope I don't get it either, are Mirage and Ironhide all buddy buddy again? IF so how boring, talk about wasting an oppurtunity. Mirage should have shot Ironhide while no one was looking. :p

Coupled with the return of Prime and you know who's sudden arrival to instantly save the day it came across as you said, like it was straight from the cartoon. An enjoyable issue nontheless just not very clever.

[i_amtrunks]

Nope I don't get it either, are Mirage and Ironhide all buddy buddy again? IF so how boring, talk about wasting an oppurtunity. Mirage should have shot Ironhide while no one was looking. :p .

I don't know if I would say they are all buddy buddy, but yeah, Mirage should have knee-capped him and left him at the mercy of the swarm.
Perhaps they are saving the angry emo-Mirage bits for post AHM to kick off the monthly series?

[kup]

Yeah I was also dissapointed at this issue as I thought that the writer had gotten his act together due to the above average last couple of issues. Sadly this one brought it all down to once again being a 'Hardcore' version of the G1 cartoon down to the same over used story template of several episodes.

1. Megatron comes up with some scheme and beats the autobots and is a hair away from conquering Earth.
2. Autobots morale is down because the Decepticons have beaten them but then Prime rallys them with a new plan for victory.
3. Decepticons gloat at their success but soon begin to fight among themselves.
4. Autobots arrive just as the Decepticons are fighting among themselves and beats them. Decepticons Retreat!
5. Spike tells a joke and everybody laughs. THE END.

[i_amtrunks]

5. Spike tells a joke and everybody laughs. THE END.

Let us hope it is better than the one about button fly's...

[GoktimusPrime]

Is it just me, or does it seem that IDW only ever publishes flattering and positive comments in their letter pages? They don't ever print anything that's really critical... very different from the old G1 days IMO. And there are so many spelling and grammatical errors in them too - I realise that some of them might be from message boards but... come on, isn't editting these letters supposed to be Ryall's job? It's pretty embarrassing to read IMO. I must admit I often don't even bother reading IDW's letters pages. (-_-)

[swoop]

Perhaps they are saving the angry emo-Mirage bits for post AHM to kick off the monthly series?[/QUOTE]

When was the monthly series anounced? can you post a link

[i_amtrunks]

When was the monthly series anounced? can you post a link

It was not officially announced by IDW, but it was hinted at in the June IDW Solicits:


The shocking conclusion to All Hail Megatron is finally here as the war between the Autobots and Decepticons hits fever pitch. Betrayal, sacrifice, and an ending you won't see coming! Next month, look for All Hail Megatron: Coda, which will answer many lingering questions and set up the coming monthly Transformers series.

If you check the IDW boards, there are a number of topics concerning the ongoing, and since none of them have been shut-down I'd say it's more or likely happening post the Coda.

And watch the Furman penned IDW-verse be killed completely and utterly...

[kup]

It was not officially announced by IDW, but it was hinted at in the June IDW Solicits:



If you check the IDW boards, there are a number of topics concerning the ongoing, and since none of them have been shut-down I'd say it's more or likely happening post the Coda.

And watch the Furman penned IDW-verse be killed completely and utterly...

Looks like from #13 onwards the comics will be written by Furman so things may not be as bleak as we thought.

[Paulbot]

Looks like from #13 onwards the comics will be written by Furman so things may not be as bleak as we thought.

Issue #13: Hunter wakes up. "Wow! I had the weirdest, vivid dream while I was recovering from being separated from Sunstreaker. So, what are those pesky Decepticons from the dead universe doing now?"

[kup]

Issue #13: Hunter wakes up. "Wow! I had the weirdest, vivid dream while I was recovering from being separated from Sunstreaker. So, what are those pesky Decepticons from the dead universe doing now?"

lol

Kind of like a 12 issue long Spotlight: Mirage

[i_amtrunks]

lol

Kind of like a 12 issue long Spotlight: Mirage

That would improve AHM one hell of a lot.

Furman is not penning the Coda by himself, only contributing to it. The Coda will be two stories an issue (like the TFA and UK comics) with multiple writers, including McCarthy too.

[Lord_Zed]

Well I read Issue 11 of The Ultimate Do... I mean AHM.

And I'm afraid I was completely underwhelmed, for the most part I found the issue reads as trite as the G1 cartoon.

Spoilers:
While a lot of space is dedicated to those big battle scenes. I found them rather cartoony and impotent. Sure it evokes the classic toon with the big guys duking it out and Blaster all smiles, and Cliffjumper laughing it up. But there's no thrill for me, not for a moment do I believe any of the Autobots or even the main crew of humans for that matter are in any jeopardy. While Megatrons chat with Starscream was interesting, and there was a nice non Geewun cameo there not enough to save this issue for me. The epic battles in the Dreamwave comic and IDW's -ation series stomp all over this port from the cartoon as far as I'm concerned.

So as the penultimate issue of AHM I'm rather dissapointed, as has been said before this series seems to be on rails following a predictable course, and its starting to feel like a modern rehash of The Ultimate Doom to me, sure its a little darker a bit meaner but the concept is the same. Autobots get ejected from earth and get all unhappy, Megatron takes over earth, Autobots come back and exchange pointblank laser fire with Decepticons, thanks to some plucky humans the Decepticons plan is undone they retreat and someone makes a terrible joke, hahaha the end.

I know I should lighten up and try and be less critical, but after waiting 10 issues this is just sooooo disapointing. ofcoures it could all change in the next issue which could perhaps redeem issue 11, but my hopes are dashed.

[Paulbot]

I agree, the non Geewun cameo was very nice.

[i_amtrunks]

So do we think the other Decepticon who made their debut in this issue could be Octane? (the non CD Scattorshot repaint)

Was not a fan of this issue at all, the Megatron Screamer talk was fantastic, but otherwise this issue was the pits. I'd be far more forgiving had this been issue 6 or 7 like it really should have been, but there is just too much to do in issue #12, I know Furman often left too much to do in the last issue, but often he was working with 4 issue series not 12 like McCarthy was given.

And the art was okay, but then the new artist came in about 1/3 of the way in the issue and the different art style was too jarring for me.

Not a series that will read well in trade format either, it'll just highlight the terrible pacing. Lets get issue #12 over and done with so we can move on and get back to writers who have an inkling of what a plot is.

If Issue #12 ends with the Autobots laughing at a joke of Spikes regarding button up flies, I will not be a happy chappy.

If McCarthy is to be commended on one thing regarding AHM, it should be the con job he pulled on IDW for convincing them to let him write this series.

[Lord_Zed]

Interestingly the review on TFormers is ladden with praise describing this issues as one of the best Transformer comics ever. http://tformers.com/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=1029

I wish I could see what he sees.

While I enjoyed Megs and Starscreams little chat, it seems at odds with the early issues of AHM where both characters are there straight cartoon selves. In issue #11 Megatron is a calculating and cunning strategist, but in issue #1 he's a destruction hungrly megalomaniac. Perhaps Megatron has a bit of G2 Jihaxus's rage issues?

Also why does Prime order Omega out of the city, when its effectively abbandoned?

[GoktimusPrime]

...does Prime know how abandoned it is? He just arrived on the scene.

Overall I found the story wasn't that much better or worse than the rest of AHM - so by AHM standards it was okay. The conversation between Megatron and Starscream was the highpoint, everything else was like... yeah. :/ It's better writing than the G1 cartoon, but by TF comics standard it's fairly ordinary. (-_-)

[Omega Supreme]

Like most others I found the Megatron/Starscream chat to be great but there is something I don't get.

Spoilers:

The convo between Megs & Starscream was long overdue, but what I don't understand is to me it felt like Megatron needed Starscream on his side purely to get the Decepticons into action, as if Megs was unable to do it himself, which to me made no sense. Right after their little chat Starscream was the one who gave all the orders and Megatron is unseen until Roadbuster puts Astrotrain through the wall and lands near him.
What is Megatron doing in this time ?
And why is Starscream giving out the orders ?, Is Megatron's commlink busted or something ?

[Lord_Zed]

...does Prime know how abandoned it is? He just arrived on the scene.


Depends on how advanced Omega's sensors are I guess. At least moving out into the open will make both Transformers easier for the UN forces to shoot.

Regarding Omega's Spoilers: Starscream giving orders, Isn't that just cause Megatron has decided that he is his eventual successor?

[Sky Shadow]

WARNING: #11 SPOILERS AND STUFF.


And why is Starscream giving out the orders ?, Is Megatron's commlink busted or something ?

I assumed that was because the Decepticons were divided last issue between Starscream's troops and Megatron's. Thus, Starscream was presenting a united front against the Autobots, leading up to his unsarcastic "all hail Megatron". Also, this Megatron doesn't seem to like to get his 'hands' dirty with explicit command - he's very Beast Wars Megatron, just playing with his pawns behind the scenes. I thought the Starscream and Megatron scenes were actually the strong bits this issue. With the exception of them and the final page (Octane?), everything else was awful. Unlike others, I absolutely hated the non-G1/G2 cameo. They could have used any one of countless appropriate obscurish tanklike Decepticons from the 80s or 90s for this and I would have been delighted. Instead it was Universe Decepticon Dropshot. Huh? Are we trying to sell new toys again or something? And I can't even imagine that it's meant to be a reformatted Micromaster Dropshot. Plus, unless the last issue has some great revelation, it looks like this is actually Optimus Prime rather than a facsimile construct/hologram/anything that might make his sudden repair make sense. How disappointing. And the art was sketchy too - Guidi must have either been in a rush or he needs an inker. I really hope the last issue picks up - the second TPB was off to such a great start but it's swiftly going downhill.

[i_amtrunks]

Megatron and Starscream are a bit closer in character to their Escalation selves, rather than their 80's cartoon selves, which means that sometime between McCarthy writing issues 1 and 11, he actually went back and read Furmans work.

Why Omega did not just obliterate Megatron while in Cruiser mode I do not know, and really, Cybertronians must be the worst shots of all species in the galaxy, they miss one another at point blank range, then run into hand to hand combat instead, even Cliffjumper cannot hit a target 3 metres away with his bfg.
They should hit one another more, most damage can be rid of with a CR chamber, Starscream came back from horrific injury, so why not others?

I also took Starscream barking orders as Megatrons way to get the infighting to cease, if Starscream orders his troops to attack the Autobots alongside Megatrons Decepticons, then it frees both factions of Cons to fight as a unit.

Still not a fan of Prime waking up from his injuries and being his cartoon self, rather than the Prime he was in Devastation, guess that his change of spark will be one of the things we might see in the coda?

[Paulbot]

Are we trying to sell new toys again or something?

No. If they were going do that they would have all of a sudden started drawing existing IDW universe characters who had new looks to look like their Universe toys, and have new toys like Hound start appearing out of nowhere when the toy went on sale. Hmm, wait...

[Sky Shadow]

No. If they were going do that they would have all of a sudden started drawing existing IDW universe characters who had new looks to look like their Universe toys, and have new toys like Hound start appearing out of nowhere when the toy went on sale. Hmm, wait...

:D Hmm... fair point. I'd thought that was just fanboyishness or Guidi using the toys as models. However, this 'theory' is far more intriguing...

[GoktimusPrime]

They should've made Ironhide and Ratchet randomly look like their Universe models. It would've made no sense, but neither does Hound's transformation either... but I would've liked it!

[kup]

They should've made Ironhide and Ratchet randomly look like their Universe models. It would've made no sense, but neither does Hound's transformation either... but I would've liked it!

An opportunity to 'upgrade' their alt modes into classic molds was when they went into Kup's base for repairs.

Edit: Skyshadow, your sig makes me feel peed off at TakTom because that is the toy repaint of the mold I wanted and didn't get!! :p

[Lord_Zed]

i_amtrunks]
Why Omega did not just obliterate Megatron while in Cruiser mode I do not know, and really, Cybertronians must be the worst shots of all species in the galaxy, they miss one another at point blank range, then run into hand to hand combat instead, even Cliffjumper cannot hit a target 3 metres away with his bfg.
They should hit one another more, most damage can be rid of with a CR chamber, Starscream came back from horrific injury, so why not others?


I thought the whole battle was a reneactment of the one in the Ultimate Doom when they all line up and shot eachother at point blank range (and missed). Unlike previous battles in the IDW universe where TF's actualy got damaged the cybertronians have all upgraded thier armour so lasers just give them dirty black marks and make them fall over.

And lets not forget that Rumble was there all fit and healthy after that RPG shot to the head last issue that didn't actauly do any damage. Who knew Soundwave wa such a softie, getting all choked up at Rumble getting a nick on his nose. They really do seem to have developed a parent child relationship. Maybe I should put my MP Grimlock apron on Soundwave?

But yeah seriously the battle itself was what left me feeling disapointed the most in AHM #11.

[kup]

I share pretty much the same views as Zed and I_amtrunks but it didn't bother me as much as it is what I expected - Basically a more refined Geewhunn plot as I mentioned earlier in the thread.

Although like Skyshadow, I would have preferred a lesser known G1/G2 character instead of Dropshot but at least we get someone new aside from from Genericons or Geewhunn cons. Dropshot's intro was also well done as I was expecting yet another pointless General Wikitywik 'Oh s**t what are we gonna do now?' scene but instead it was interrupted by a surprise attack from Dropshot which I found rather cool and welcomed given the extreme Geewhuness of the issue.

....I am tempted to get a Dropshot toy now as before this issue he was just a nobody. He didn't even look like his Micromaster namesake.

[i_amtrunks]

And lets not forget that Rumble was there all fit and healthy after that RPG shot to the head last issue that didn't actauly do any damage. Who knew Soundwave wa such a softie, getting all choked up at Rumble getting a nick on his nose. They really do seem to have developed a parent child relationship. Maybe I should put my MP Grimlock apron on Soundwave?

If Megatron knew exactly what was going to happen, and when, then shouldn't it mean that he told Rumble about the attack, and Rumble and Soundwave played along, pretending to be hurt, and dropping the communications blockade, so that the humans left in NYC could feel fear, knowing the EU were going to bomb them?

I mean, c'mon Megatron planned all of this, down to the minutia... :rolleyes:

[Omega Supreme]

If Megatron knew exactly what was going to happen, and when, then shouldn't it mean that he told Rumble about the attack, and Rumble and Soundwave played along, pretending to be hurt, and dropping the communications blockade, so that the humans left in NYC could feel fear, knowing the EU were going to bomb them?

I mean, c'mon Megatron planned all of this, down to the minutia... :rolleyes:

I have my doubts about the leadership of this Megatron, All Hail Starscream!

[GoktimusPrime]

All Hail Viewfinder! :p

[Sam]

I sorta liked the conversation between Megatron and Starscream in the most recent issue of AHM, but felt that overall the artwork seemed somewhat rushed...

[roller]

i went to the comic shop yesterday and shane mccarthy was there

so i got issue 11 autographed woooo :D

i shoulda asked him what he thinks about the unofficial drift toy being made, but forgot :rolleyes:

it was nice to see the art back to normal, unlike the previous issue where it was cartoony
issue 11 didn't seem to be much in the way of furthering the story , but had some nice bits

next issue sounds great though

I asked mr McCarthy about the Coda , to me it sounds like Spotlight issues but they are not centreing on 1 character.

[Zahhak]

Maybe I should put my MP Grimlock apron on Soundwave?

do it and post pics!
(Spoilorssseses)

Overall I like the genral IDEA of the comic, the talk between SS and Megs, the hidden cons right under the humans noses...but everything thing else to me just seem like filler..the first 5 pages for example could of been the end of AHM #10..I don't think it was a terriable read or anything...it just felt incomplete I guess?

[Lord_Zed]

do it and post pics!
(Spoilorssseses)

Overall I like the genral IDEA of the comic, the talk between SS and Megs, the hidden cons right under the humans noses...but everything thing else to me just seem like filler..the first 5 pages for example could of been the end of AHM #10..I don't think it was a terriable read or anything...it just felt incomplete I guess?

As you command....

http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=101449&postcount=815

[Zahhak]

you sir are win.

also something I forgot about #11, Spoiler:

Optimus:Freedom is the right of all..

Megatron: Oh shut up

[roller]

spoilers




spoilers for 11




That one who turned into a tank missile firing thing, does he have a toy or is he a generic?

[Golden Phoenix]

spoilers




spoilers for 11




That one who turned into a tank missile firing thing, does he have a toy or is he a generic?

I think his name is Drop Shot
He is supposed to be the sand coloured repaint of CD Scattershot

[kup]

spoilers




spoilers for 11




That one who turned into a tank missile firing thing, does he have a toy or is he a generic?

http://www.geocities.com/wow_frostwolf/loot/020609.jpg

[roller]

thanks Char (thats japanese for Kup)

i knew he looked familar, i was hoping it was the Universe 2 combaticons

[Paulbot]

At the IDW panel at Botcon I asked if Hasbro were behind the decision for characters in All Hail Megatron to suddenly look like the toys when they hadn't before in IDW. Their answer was no, IDW just want the characters to be more recognisable to attract the more casual TF/G1 fans.

[Tober]

i shoulda asked him what he thinks about the unofficial drift toy being made, but forgot :rolleyes:

He likes it.

There's a pretty good interview with him here where he is asked that question and many, many... many more here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC3b5epypnA

or direct mp3 download from here:

http://moonbase2.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=487919

About 31Mb for 90 mins of chatting.

[Sky Shadow]

So... issue #12 is out. Any thoughts or responses?

[Paulbot]

So... issue #12 is out. Any thoughts or responses?

My thought is "I need to go to the comic store" :o

[Tober]

I thought he was going to have a hard time wrapping this one up. He did so rather well although it's ending was reminiscent of another toon from the 80s. I was kinda suprised about the role-reversal of the seekers, that stuck out father than I would have liked, but at least it's justifyable. Glad to see a Transformers story arc without an altogether happy ending also.

All things considered I liked it alot, regardless of weather there is a #13.

[Lord_Zed]

I wasn't a big fan of it myself, the ultimate fight I waited 9 isues for was cartoony and lacklustre and the art was nowhere near as detailed as some previous issues. Although at least Spike's last remark was spot on.

Although one thing I realy liked was:
Thundercracker finally got some personality yay, and they made him interesting to. Drift are you taking notes?

But I realy hated it when:
And then they killed him :mad:

And so it is over, or the main arc at least, and I feel nothing. Totaly ambivalent about the future of TF comics right now.

[GoktimusPrime]

Although one thing I realy liked was:

But I realy hated it when:
+1!

[blackie]

i thought it was quite lacklustre with all their buildup throughout the whole series, it just fizzled

[GoktimusPrime]

The very end of the issue with Sideswipe's discovery of Hunter would have to be one of the most single tragic events in TF history. First time a TF comic has made be want to cry since Scorponok died in G1 #75.

[Lord_Zed]

The very end of the issue with Sideswipe's discovery of Hunter would have to be one of the most single tragic events in TF history. First time a TF comic has made be want to cry since Scorponok died in G1 #75.

I wouldn't go that far, however It was certainly tragic, its probably just posthumous guilt but now it feels like Hunter was one of the more interesting Human characters in TF history, at least compared to the more standard hero man Spike.

I wish they'd gotten E.J Su to do those last couple of pannels though, I felt it could have used a few more Hr Gigerish details to make the impact hit harder and make it look creepier.

[i_amtrunks]

I'm sorry, but that issue was piss poor, and a terrible ending to a series that has wasted a year as well as destroying a very well constructed universe with set rules and guidelines written by a previous author.

The Thundercracker death seemed a tacked on effort that was meant to be a payoff from all 3 of his scenes in the previous 11 issues, that barely portrayed him as anything more than unhappy with the Decepticon efforts on Earth.

The Coda cannot save this train wreck of a series that reeked of Megatron's Master Plan.

And I am sorry, but Starscream must have had his thought modules destroyed to act the way he did, mere minutes after trying to take Megatron out, if that little speech of Megatron's is all it took to change his mind, why did Megatron not give it to him back in Escalation? Oh yeah a writer who knew what he was doing wrote that series.

If it wasnt for Roche's upcoming series, I think I would be done with IDW right now.

[Lord_Zed]

I'm sorry, but that issue was piss poor, and a terrible ending to a series that has wasted a year as well as destroying a very well constructed universe with set rules and guidelines written by a previous author.

The Thundercracker death seemed a tacked on effort that was meant to be a payoff from all 3 of his scenes in the previous 11 issues, that barely portrayed him as anything more than unhappy with the Decepticon efforts on Earth.

The Coda cannot save this train wreck of a series that reeked of Megatron's Master Plan.

And I am sorry, but Starscream must have had his thought modules destroyed to act the way he did, mere minutes after trying to take Megatron out, if that little speech of Megatron's is all it took to change his mind, why did Megatron not give it to him back in Escalation? Oh yeah a writer who knew what he was doing wrote that series.

If it wasnt for Roche's upcoming series, I think I would be done with IDW right now.

Admitedly I have to agree with pretty much everything you said in regards to AHM. Before I hunted down every TF comic, these days I'm happy to pass them up and just grab em when It's conveniant.

[i_amtrunks]

Admitedly I have to agree with pretty much everything you said in regards to AHM. Before I hunted down every TF comic, these days I'm happy to pass them up and just grab em when It's conveniant.

It's a shame, I was another person who used to race out and grab almost everything that IDW pumped out (bar most of the movie titles) and often I'd grab single issues as well as the trades.

Now I doubt I'll be grabbing single issues at all, and right now IDW needs all the sales of Transformers single issues they can get.

[Lord_Zed]

Between ROTF and AHM plotwise, all the good new TF fiction for me is made up in my head these days. ;)

[GoktimusPrime]

Not me. :p When I play with my toys I make up my own continuity and fiction, but I'll be the first to admit that it's all totally crap. There's a reason why I don't write fan-fics. :D

[Lord_Zed]

That's kinda what I was getting at.

Regarding wether it's any good or not, well It's different when you only have to please a target auidence of one. :)

[FFN]

Hunter :(

I call total and complete BS on McCarthy's claims that he respected Furman and wouldn't piss all over what he did. What do you call making Hunter and Sunstreaker suffer, then killing them off? Hunter was our "human perspective" character and CLEARLY was destined for greater things than what was given to him.

[STL]

Hunter :(

I call total and complete BS on McCarthy's claims that he respected Furman and wouldn't piss all over what he did. What do you call making Hunter and Sunstreaker suffer, then killing them off? Hunter was our "human perspective" character and CLEARLY was destined for greater things than what was given to him.

Hunter was an annoying character. So was Verity. So was whoever the other one was. They lacked any real dimension and I'm happy to see the last of them. Human characters work best when they don't dominate the story. Those characters were shoved down our throats and were noise in the overall scheme of things. No one cared about them and they simply inhibited story progression. How useless were they when Sixshot struck? What did their whining add? The whole Sunstreaker headmaster thing? Hardly convincing. For it to work, we need two characters we actually have been made to care about and been developed. Hunter hardly fit that.

Up to that point, it had all been little miss-I-have-so-many-problems-Verity. Then Hunter is someone we all of a sudden we care about? Please.

I don't see it even the slightest as even "pissing all over" what Furman did. It probably would've helped if what Furman did (in terms of the Hunter character) was something people actually cared about. As far as I can be concerned, McCarthy had licence to take the books in a new direction. He took it in a way so as to drive his own story and that to me is perfectly fine and to some degree it makes sense. Imagine if all of a sudden u get saddled up with something totally foreign to share ur body, specifically ur head.

Even ignoring that, I personally haven't enjoyed the rearing the head again of Furman elements into McCarthy's story. it should've been forgotten. There was a lot of promise with Furman's stuff but it never amounted to anything (which I think is pretty much what happened with AHM too btw). It killed people's enjoyment of the book and that's why a reboot was initiated. I don't think the reboot was that great (and I've only read up #9 of AHM!) and successful but IDW made a fist of trying to take it in a new direction. Sales have been about 3000 units more on AHM compared to Furman's run on Revelations/Maximum Dinobot averages. IDW can call that a win I guess as 9000 vs. 12000 units would be considered success in volume terms. Especially given the end of the market they operate in that that would be considered large as compared to say Marvel or DC.

So while I don't think McCarthy went out there to "piss over"Furman's work, I think someone, whether or not it was McCarthy, was enittled to. The whole Hunter character was a joke. Never developed properly. Never had any substance. Never remotely interesting.

[Lord_Zed]

The whole Hunter character was a joke. Never developed properly. Never had any substance. Never remotely interesting.

So pretty much like every other human character in TF comics in the past 10 years then. :p Not least of which the new humans added in AHM. Who managed to bore me to tears in a few issues. Hopefully the next big TF writer will kill of some of them.

[STL]

So pretty much like every other human character in TF comics in the past 10 years then. :p Not least of which the new humans added in AHM. Who managed to bore me to tears in a few issues. Hopefully the next big TF writer will kill of some of them.

Totally agreed. The last that were materialyl interesting to me were Galen and Spike who were the Fort Max combo in the Marvel comics. They actually were very interested and had texture to them.

But the number of human characters who've actually been developed and meaningful? Not many.

[Lord_Zed]

Josie Beller and that chick that Ultra magnus saved in the UK comics also come to mind although they predate Spike and Gallen who are indeed the last notable ones. Lord Zarak was cool to, though I guess he is a TF really.

These days I even find some of the old one shot humans from the Budiansky days amusing. Say what you will about Budiansky's writting, but his odd human one shots were often more unique and interesting than the more common sterotypical transformer kids/teens or ace military hero guys/gals.

[kup]

Thanks to Zed I finally read this.

It wasn't as cheesy as it could have been but it pretty much concluded in the same way we predicted since the first few issues only that Sparkplug delivered the ending joke, not Spike or Bumblebee :p . As a whole it was little more than a typical G1 two parter episode and it followed the same formula too. However to be fair it did have a few highlights in it such as the bit with Thundercracker (although this was undone my presumably having him killed) and the dialog with Megatron and Starscream which I did enjoy but again shows that McCarthy has no interest to follow continuity which seriously hurts his overall works since officially it is.

It was a lackluster end to a somewhat lackluster series and in a way this issue is very representative of the series as a whole which is a very predictable and borring formula for the overall story with a few unexpected and enjoyable highlights but ultimately unimportant.

[GoktimusPrime]

Got #13 of AHM. Man... "f'ugly" is the word! The art for the Decepticon part was quite nice though... but yeah, the try-hard "moofie" art for the Autobot part was really cringeworthy. When I saw pics online I thought I could handle it - like a Neo-G2 art thing... but it's worse. Never thought I'd come across art that's less palatable than Manny Galan's. (T_T)