Venturing into Beast Wars - what to start with first?

[Arcee]

I've decided to study the Beast Wars, regardless of my incomplete knowledge of G1 (and all others).

To begin with I need to start either watching the original cartoon or reading the comics.

I've decided to start with the latter...basically for financial reasons...and if I find myself loving the comics then I'll get the TV series later.

Here is what I've found on the official IDW online shopping catelogue:

Four choice under BWs: The Gathering, The Ascending, The Beast Wars Sourcebook, and an omnibus containing all three of these. About 100 pages for each of the three individual volumes.

I'm wondering if that's all. Are they the complete stories of the entire BWs series, or they are just a collection of random episodes? How many seasons are there altogether, how many volumes in comics?

Thanks for the help again!

[Cat]

I've decided to study the Beast Wars, regardless of my incomplete knowledge of G1 (and all others).

To begin with I need to start either watching the original cartoon or reading the comics.

I've decided to start with the latter...basically for financial reasons...and if I find myself loving the comics then I'll get the TV series later.

Here is what I've found on the official IDW online shopping catelogue:

Four choice under BWs: The Gathering, The Ascending, The Beast Wars Sourcebook, and an omnibus containing all three of these. About 100 pages for each of the three individual volumes.

I'm wondering if that's all. Are they the complete stories of the entire BWs series, or they are just a collection of random episodes? How many seasons are there altogether, how many volumes in comics?

Thanks for the help again!

No.


You REALLY want the show.

Then maybe the comics.

But the two aren't even comparable.

[Hursticon]

I've decided to study the Beast Wars, regardless of my incomplete knowledge of G1 (and all others).

To begin with I need to start either watching the original cartoon or reading the comics.

I've decided to start with the latter...basically for financial reasons...and if I find myself loving the comics then I'll get the TV series later.

Here is what I've found on the official IDW online shopping catelogue:

Four choice under BWs: The Gathering, The Ascending, The Beast Wars Sourcebook, and an omnibus containing all three of these. About 100 pages for each of the three individual volumes.

I'm wondering if that's all. Are they the complete stories of the entire BWs series, or they are just a collection of random episodes? How many seasons are there altogether, how many volumes in comics?

Thanks for the help again!

To really make any sense of the comics dude, you'll need to see the original CG TV Show as the comics are interwoven throughout the storyline of the Cartoon and borrow heavily from it.

I currently own both but am yet to get to my BW Omnibus as I'm still going through the Marvel G1 Comics , but I'd highly recommend investing in the Madman Complete Beast Wars Collection as it is a great series that is easily the best written TF Visual Media written to date; it may be a little expensive but with the multitude of extras you get with the set it's well worth it.

[Paulbot]

I'm wondering if that's all. Are they the complete stories of the entire BWs series, or they are just a collection of random episodes?

The comics tell a different story altogether about the toys that weren't in the cartoon. It's secondary in every sense to the cartoon.

I've decided to study the Beast Wars, regardless of my incomplete knowledge of G1 (and all others).How many seasons are there altogether

Three seasons (season 1 is twice as long as season 2 or 3)

how many volumes in comics?

Two volumes, and the sourcebook (which is purely character profiles). The omnibus has all three in one book.

Do you take good care of DVDs? Iceburn and STL both borrowed mine to watch the show.

[Arcee]

Do you take good care of DVDs? Iceburn and STL both borrowed mine to watch the show.

I just lost everything I've typed because the damn building's power off... How is one supposed to survived in 21st century without electricity (and worse if without iPhone at the same time)?!

Basically yes, Paulbot, you don't want to know but I got compulsive obsessive in keeping my own DVDs and books in near mint condition. Could I please borrow them from you? I promise I'll return them in exactly the same condition as they were first placed in my hands, otherwise I'll buy you a whole new set.

[Cat]

Do you take good care of DVDs? Iceburn and STL both borrowed mine to watch the show.

Hahahahaha.


I think even people with OCD look at her and are like ''Daaamn.''

[Paulbot]

I won't have them tomorrow but can bring 'em along to the next lunch meet (next week?).

[griffin]

(moved posts to be a new topic... for the fans of this great cartoon )

[Firestorm]

one could start with theft of the golden disc, that's floating around on youtube somewhere isnt it?

it's a prequel to Beast Wars. isnt there a botcon comic that's also a prequel (dawn of futures past)

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, I recommend watching the cartoon first. The comics also have some spoilers for the cartoon too - so be warned about that if you choose to read the comics first. The comics also create continuity headaches... the Gathering was okay, but the Ascending gave me a continuity migraine... gah.

one could start with theft of the golden disc, that's floating around on youtube somewhere isnt it?

it's a prequel to Beast Wars. isnt there a botcon comic that's also a prequel (dawn of futures past)

Yes and yes, but it's not absolutely essential.

Arcee could also look into watching Beast Wars II (pronounced "Beast Wars Second") and Beast Wars Neo too, which are Japanese series (and one theatrical movie) that are expansions of the Canadian CGI series - but while they do contribute to the overall Beast Wars mythos, they're by no means essential viewing. Although Theft of the Golden Disk and the Dawns of Futures Past would be more quintessential than BWII or Neo.

But Arcee could definitely just start watching Beast Wars straight away without anything else... ya know, the same way most of us did when BW came out! Although it'd be interesting to see how someone would react to Beast Wars if they'd been exposed to the prequel material beforehand... Midichlorians my rear assembly -- oops, wrong prequel