IDW Ironhide series reviews/comments

[Sam]

What are your thoughts on this series so far (only two issues released) ?

I like the art, and the story looks like it could get interesting.

[kup]

I have only read the first issue.

It was alright, certainly not horrible like Ongoing or AHM. However I do have reservations as it seems that due to poor plot planning and sale attempt boosts, they have made the deaths of certain characters rather meaningless.

Basically, if they kill off any popular 'Geewun' character in the IDW comic, you can be assured that he will be brought back to life in one form or another making death meaningless in this series.

That aside, I didn't mind the first issue but I am not confident of the following ones. Bumblebee also started out promising but then it just lost focus and ended up somewhat disappointing. The only writer within IDW that has my full confidence is Nich Roche as he seems the only one that understands what Transformers is about.

The 'flashback' story was an ok read but somewhat pointless despite it being most of the issue. The end is the only important part that sets up a plot of mystery and 'discovery' which will likely be the focus of subsequent issues. Unfortunately it carries too much bad baggage from Ongoing given the ridiculous way Ironhide ended up where he is and its more likely that it will loose focus as it tries to reconcile the situation with what happened/happening in Ongoing.

[Sharky]

Issue two was a good read, its only downfall i thought was it read way too fast,

there is a nice flash back scene then we see our favorite swarm again... then ol ironhide scampers off somewhere to be continued next issue.

i enjoyed it much much more then ongoing issue 7 and look forward to the next issue (where i dont really about the next issue of ongoing)

[SharkyMcShark]

I like what you did there with Scamper.

[Sam]

Basically, if they kill off any popular 'Geewun' character in the IDW comic, you can be assured that he will be brought back to life in one form or another making death meaningless in this series.

That seems to be a "plot device" used in comics, and not just reserved to Transformers comics. Though it makes it no less frustrating.

When characters die, I think they should stay dead. Otherwise there is not much point in having readers feel emotional attachment to them, since we know they are going to come back one way or another.

[griffin]

The mystery element in the Ironhide series has me guessing, which one is the clone...
The one that was killed, or the one that just woke up?

I feel that Ironhide in the distant past knew he was needed for something in his distant future (our present), and had to make sure he would be around for it, so had a clone created to stand in for him while he was in stasis somewhere on Cybertron. As soon as the clone was killed, he was re-activated, and now has to work out what is going on (not sure if the memories of the clone were downloaded into him, or if he only has memories up to when he was put in statis).

In the meantime, Metroplex has returned to Cybertron as the guardian of something unknown (following on from the Metroplex spotlight), and I think that that unknown thing is what Ironhide needed to make sure he was around for.

The interesting thing (if my guesses are correct), will be what Metroplex has, and what it does when Ironhide uses it.

The flashbacks are nice though, even if it does just pad out the mini-series (probably could have been a single issue spotlight if condensed). We finally get to see a live Outback (who was only ever seen as a corpse in Spotlight:Kup), and yet, we again see him half destroyed in Issue 2... why does Universe, uh IDW hate Outback?

This is one comic I'm actually interested enough to follow before it gets released as a TPB (thanks to JustOwen's copies). :)

[i_amtrunks]

Its a different slower paced mystery series, so I'm somewhat interested.

I'm not hanging out for the next issue like I was with the Wreckers, but it is far more interesting to me than the ongoing.

Art is a nice stepback too, and its nice to see that some other IDW threads are still being picked up (Metroplex) and not just left to the side, pretending they didnt happen.

[bassbot]

Basically, if they kill off any popular 'Geewun' character in the IDW comic, you can be assured that he will be brought back to life in one form or another making death meaningless in this series.


Well, not necessarily, as Ironhide's death in #1 ongoing was ALWAYS going to be referred back to or become an important point - not simply for the course of action it set Prime on.

So, Mike and Andy Schmidt had plans and that involved an Ironhide mini that connected to Cybertron itself.


I enjoyed Ironhide #1, but thought the opening city-fight was lame in the sense of standing in front of each other shooting, with no cover.

However, the flashbacks are cool, and Mike has said that #1-2 are set mostly flashbacks, with #3-4 in the present.

I haven't read #2 in real form, but downloaded it on the iphone app last night cause I couldn't wait. and it's great. love the connections and continuity and new intrigue.
SPOILER:
I'm betting that the city that Ironhide and co enter is Metroplex!

[bassbot]

I like what you did there with Scamper.

yeah! very nice. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

Flashbacks or dreams? Or a combination of both??

Things that strike me odd as being straight memories:
1. Outback just strolling (hopping) around talking to Ironhide in that effed up state! (Kup faired better than him and he was really screwed over -- unless Outback is Waspinator-tough! But even then, as if they'd let him move around freely without patching him up)
2. Scamper speaking through Wheeljack.

Hrmmmmmmmmmm...

I wonder what the hell Metroplex is guarding... a copy of ROTF from an alternate universe which was universally loved by all fans?

[bassbot]

spoiler - we know that Metroplex ISN'T GUARDING THE MAGNIFICENCE courtesy of Andy Schmidt on the IDW forums.

[SharkyMcShark]

Interesting.

Thanks for that

[bassbot]

yeah, makes me wonder what the heck he's got with him!

[i_amtrunks]

A new matrix! :p

(if that ends up being true, I'll laugh my head right off, and stop reading IDW altogether.)

[Sharky]

perhaps he is gaurding the aerialbots and protectobots and all the other autobots.....in stasis sleep....

or emirate xaaron or alpha trion or vector sigma.....


or optimus primes favorite teddy bear....

[bassbot]

well, the mystery Autobot that is yet to appear should more than likely be in there, and if it's Alpha Trion then he could have an IDW version of Vector Sigma with him

[GoktimusPrime]

#3 spoilahz...
















whoa so... THIS Ironhide is the original and the one we've been seeing all along was a clone?!? It's like G1 Megaplex* all over again!! Man... sucks to be Sunstreaker atm. :/

-------------
*Yeah yeah, I know that the G1 Megatron/Straxus clone and the Megaplex clone are technically separate characters, but I like to think of the G1 clone as a Megaplex. :p Hence:
original -->http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Famous%20Covers/th_cover_003.jpg clone-->http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Famous%20Covers/th_cover_202.jpg ;)

[kup]

Although Ironhide is not terribly good, it is miles better than Ongoing so I don't mind it despite the cliches.

I just wish to Ongoing to end, it's awful.

[Sharky]

i wouldnt say it was a clone they are the same




from what A3 was saying he didnt restore all of ironhide memories as all that was availiable to him were the remnants from the last time "his spark returned to the core and rebooted" and that same attack (optimus incident)damaged his link to the core (Vector Sigma [whch is also convieniantly damaged]) so because of the damage he couldnt uppdate his experiences

kinda like amnesia i guess...

same ironhide

no clone...

atleast we get rid of the clusterfiretruck plot point known as the swarm......

[i_amtrunks]

but we are now left with one issue to see Ironhide clean up the planet.

So, another mini to get him joined back up with the Earthbound Autobots (maybe saving their bacon) imminent?

[Sharky]

but we are now left with one issue to see Ironhide clean up the planet.

So, another mini to get him joined back up with the Earthbound Autobots (maybe saving their bacon) imminent?

then there is another mini needed for him to hunt down his old body and have his new memories implanted...

[Tommy K]

spoilers me thinks?


i like FOLLOW guy he reminds me of all those weird one of disney characters that dont have much to say, like the forign contaniment guy in WALL-E or bubbles from finding nemo

i get a I AM LEGEND vibe from this series and i believe he comes out as an awesome character this time around, a man with a mission (transformers ironhide) unlike a bully with a fight to pick (all hail megatron)

[kup]

spoilers me thinks?


i like FOLLOW guy he reminds me of all those weird one of disney characters that dont have much to say, like the forign contaniment guy in WALL-E or bubbles from finding nemo

i get a I AM LEGEND vibe from this series and i believe he comes out as an awesome character this time around, a man with a mission (transformers ironhide) unlike a bully with a fight to pick (all hail megatron)

I think he is Scamper.

[GoktimusPrime]

i wouldnt say it was a clone they are the same




from what A3 was saying he didnt restore all of ironhide memories as all that was availiable to him were the remnants from the last time "his spark returned to the core and rebooted" and that same attack (optimus incident)damaged his link to the core (Vector Sigma [whch is also convieniantly damaged]) so because of the damage he couldnt uppdate his experiences

kinda like amnesia i guess...

same ironhide

no clone...

Ah yes, I believe you are right. :) Two different shells, same Spark.


i like FOLLOW guy he reminds me of all those weird one of disney characters that dont have much to say, like the forign contaniment guy in WALL-E or bubbles from finding nemo
As kup said, that is Scamper (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Scamper).

[i_amtrunks]

Ah yes, I believe you are right. :) Two different shells, same Spark.


As kup said, that is Scamper (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Scamper).

So lets see if Costa has actually read anything written before his time, and if the link to Metroplex is confirmed/continued...

[Sharky]

So lets see if Costa has actually read anything written before his time, and if the link to Metroplex is confirmed/continued...

it doesnt matter if he has read it or not.. he will still probably do his own thing anyway half using half ignoring it.....kinda like a big fluke..


now if the problem was the swarm stopping cybertron being repaired why didnt the ever self impressed A3 tell metroplex to stomp the bugs....

[SharkyMcShark]

Are we supposed to read in that the Swarm are capable of replicating themselves? Because there were only 3000 of the buggers at the outset of AHM, and a good few were swatted by the Autobots, taken out by Sunstreaker, or stomped by Omega Supreme.

> 3000 zombie bug robots doesn't seem enough to cover the entire planet, as A3 shows on the monitor.

[GoktimusPrime]

now if the problem was the swarm stopping cybertron being repaired why didnt the ever self impressed A3 tell metroplex to stomp the bugs....

Perhaps Metroplex's sole weakness is his entomophobia. ;)


Are we supposed to read in that the Swarm are capable of replicating themselves? Because there were only 3000 of the buggers at the outset of AHM, and a good few were swatted by the Autobots, taken out by Sunstreaker, or stomped by Omega Supreme.

> 3000 zombie bug robots doesn't seem enough to cover the entire planet, as A3 shows on the monitor.
Clone beams!! :D

[Seraphim Prime]

Clone beams!! :D

Well, the G1 Insecticons were able to form clones of themselves so maybe that's been Costa's inspiration - maybe Megatron tried to install cloning tech on the insectiocons, but it failed leaving the 3000 swarm with malfunctioning cloning devices turning them into a true swarm...


Also, I think somebody asked Costa or Andy whether Metroplex was guarding the Magnificence. They answered that it wasn't the Magnificence, but that answer would come later. It was important enought for Metroplex to put himself into self-imposed exile. Vector Sigma? The key fixing it?

[GoktimusPrime]

He's guarding Time Warrior.

[STL]

Ironhide; read #1 to 3. Very nice serise. Good build up, a lot of foreshadowing and hinting at things. Lots of things to be excited about. Much better work from Costa. Dialogue is still not very crisp but sounds a mile better still. I don't think it's a closed end mini; more of a foreboding one. But I have enjoyed it. Not awesome but definitely a lot of fun and some great work on Ironhide and his past on Cybertron.

[i_amtrunks]

Well all the ideas we thought were likely came true in issue #4.

Im not sure how I feel about the mini at it's conclusion, I liked it, and it was more fun and interesting, not to mention better written than the ongoing, but most of it was too..."easy" (or lack of a better word). Everything just happened no matter how improbable it was, Ironhide and Sunstreaker coming back online alone was too 'neat'.

[Paulbot]

This would have made a great spotlight issue, but dragging it out to four issues was too much.

And really what was the point of the story except to basically hit the big reset button? Oh and to say that Ironhide is one tough Autobot. Four issues for this?

And this series didn't just bring Ironhide back, it also resurrected Sunstreaker and the whole planet Cybertron! I have some criticisms of All Hail Megatron but Sunstreaker's 'death' in it wasn't one of them. In fact it's all a bit ridiculous now isn't it? This is the second time the 'dead' Ironhide and Sunstreaker have been resurrected in the IDW storyline. Can't the writers just let them go?

I get the feeling that say Kick-Off isn't going to get a four part mini series to bring him back from the dead now is he? Come on IDW, surprise me and do just that!

[FFN]

TRANSFORMERS: HUNTER O'NION.

This I command!

[GoktimusPrime]

Alpha Trion's such a d!ck. I was cheering when Ironhide punched him.