Comic reviews: IDW More Than Meets The Eye ongoing

[i_amtrunks]

Finally found a copy while on a day trip in Brisvegas.

Another solid issue, but not as enticing as some previous issues. We all knew that the killswitch would be reversed somehow, but breaking the matrix map to do so was a nice twist. Tailgates ending regarding Whirl was wonderfully executed too.

I'm glad that Minimus didn't let Tyrest know about the second load he was bearing, that Ratchet knew everything all along and that Rodimus is ready to grow up. Wish we have gotten more with Skids and more Getaway too, but ah well. First Aids little moment was great, my first thought regarding Pharma's body was also Quints.

Prose was excellent, but also sad that so much happened off panel that will be noticeable. Also I imagine in another year or so there'll be a lot of readers asking why Red Alert or Fort Max haven't been healed/ seen. I'm guessing we might get a half page or two on them here and there in later issues.

[BigTransformerTrev]

I was a little disappointed that Red Alert was revived, and Fort Max departed "off panel" so to speak. But happy for four more pages of story regardless.

I'm glad I read you guys reviews - I hadn't bothered to read the 4 pages at the end and had just assumed their were the usual creators commentary

Yeah the more story thing is good, but you'd love to see it actually panelled out.

Though I am happy for Tailgate to have survived (he and Pipes were amongst my first dozen ever TF's and I was heartbroken when Pipes snuffed it) I felt a little cheated after the emotion of watching what I thought was Cyclonus putting him out of his misery. They had already done that one with the 'Whirl's death fantasy' earlier in the issue.

Ha! I called it loooong ago that Magnus wouldn't die, even when I saw Minimus' head crushed last issue I knew it wouldn't happen. But then I think a lot of people guessed the same as me anyway

[GoktimusPrime]

I enjoyed the "emotional rollercoaster" of this issue, especially with Whirl's fantasy death and Tailgate's apparent euthanasia-that-was-really-his-salvation. I thought that was nicely done. I must admit I didn't predict Ambus' comeback at all, and that came as a surprise that felt like a cheat to me. So apparently he's an Ultra Pretender. :/ Also one thing that bugs me about Ambus' form... where's the alt mode kibble? Doesn't he transform into something or does he solely rely on his Magnus armour to do that? That makes him more of a matryoshka doll than any kind of Pretender. For that matter... what the hell does Rung transform into? Man he bugs me... kill him already and make a toy!! Although the way he compulsively built a model of Ark-5 out of glasses was funny.

The text story at the end was kewl - reminds me of the text stories Furman wrote for the G1 Annuals. Man... I really wanna know what's in the briefcase and what that glowing green light is!

My minor gripes about this issue:
+ The story writing still feels too "human"; particularly the "Yanko"/"Anglo" centric nature of it. Acronyms and punctuation rooted in English in a story based on alien robots where some of whom (like Tailgate) have never been to Earth?!? Please... I know that the G1 comics did the same thing too, but I guess I can overlook that because those comics were written for kids, whereas the IDW comics are clearly written for adults. It all makes it feel like the story is being "dumbed down" for the audience (specifically an American audience). While the whole semicolon thing was cool in terms of referencing back to events at the beginning of MTMTE, it also bugs me as to why Chief Justice Tyrest would even use Earth based (originally Italian) punctuation in what would've been a Cybertronian language. I guess I'll have to assume that the Cybertronian language Tyrest used just coincidentally has a piece of punctuation that equates to a semicolon (even though a lot of Earth languages don't use it, wateva ).
+ Would still like to see more transforming happening in these stories. Like when Cyclonus receives the message from Ratchet, he could've quickly transformed to jet mode to rush to medbay, right?

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

[i_amtrunks]

MtMtE #22 preview.

It is a catch up / review issue, with a new artist. It's a more detailed style of art. Story is meant to revolve around footage Rewind had recorded of the previous #21 issues.

I'm sure there will be plenty of bits and pieces that add more detail to previously seen scenes as well as clues and other odds and ends dropped for future stories.

[i_amtrunks]

Not sure about anyone else but Phantomzone Parramatta said that MtMtE 22 was the only comic that didn't ship this week, they expect it in a fortnight.

These near constant delays are getting annoying and aren't good for the retailers. I'll download it tonight from comixology, and but it in store, but only because it is MtMtE.

[Paulbot]

My store had it. But I wasn't in a rush given its an epilogue and mostly because of the preview so wouldn't have really cared if I had to wait.

Main reaction: why so much black ink? It doesn't suit the book's style at all and really overpowers the colouring too. I guess they are trying to make the video footage more "realistic" since its showing "real life" but I'd rather they'd just done an interlace effect over everything or something else instead. The look is dirty, oily?

Otherwise the story is overall fine but it's the most self contained, almost throw away, issue so far. I think some elements, like Rung's altmode will come up again. I've now got a least favourite issue of the series.

[Lord_Zed]

For that matter... what the hell does Rung transform into? Man he bugs me... kill him already and make a toy!! Although the way he compulsively built a model of Ark-5 out of glasses was funny.

Rung can't die, he's a historical constant, and I presume he transforms into some kind of trike or scooter, in fact he reminds me a bit of Gobots Scooter.

Anyway he's needed for his psychiatry skills to deal with the somewhat unstable crew of the lost light.

+ Would still like to see more transforming happening in these stories. Like when Cyclonus receives the message from Ratchet, he could've quickly transformed to jet mode to rush to medbay, right?

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

What do you think this is a? A Transformers comic? It's all about mental and philosophical transformations these days, physical transformations are so 1980's.

[i_amtrunks]

#22 is a nice issue, lots of little fun things in it, Thunderclash, the two warring factions and plenty of one liners from Rung, Swerve and Whirl.

As a filler comic it was really nicely done, lots of mini stories with an over all feel of flow and movement. However I think it would have been better served if it was placed in an Annual, seeing as there was nothing in this issue that had to be seen. I know that there will be things in this issue that will become more important in time (as it seems there always is in MtMtE), Rungs alt mode, Rung in general, the warring bots, Thunderclash etc.

But after the prose story we got at the end of #21, I cannot help but feel that the stories and developments in the prose story would have made a far better "wind up" comic to finish the first big arc.

Art is different, at times it was too heavy handed on the inks, but overall the look suited the comic, it was far more gritty than the normal comic/cartoon look of MtMtE. It's nice every now and again, but I am glad that the book doesnt look like this week in week out.

Overall a nice comic that is far from required reading. I'm not sure if this is my least favourite issue, but I think it was too disconnected as an issue. So it would be my least recommended issue of the run. Overall it was a good meaty read, far longer than most comics.

And check out the B cover for a great laugh. The first step in Rung's toy instructions is to raise both the eyebrows!

[Paulbot]

But after the prose story we got at the end of #21, I cannot help but feel that the stories and developments in the prose story would have made a far better "wind up" comic to finish the first big arc.

Checkout what James Roberts has to say about epilogues and filler and how this latest issue was written months ahead because of the Skids toy. Damn you Hasbro!

[bassbot]

I dunno if it's deliberately to be realistic, and more just reflective of James Raiz' style and then how the inker and Josh Burcham have worked on it. It's different from the typical MTMTE style and ya be jarring for some.

My store had it. But I wasn't in a rush given its an epilogue and mostly because of the preview so wouldn't have really cared if I had to wait.

Main reaction: why so much black ink? It doesn't suit the book's style at all and really overpowers the colouring too. I guess they are trying to make the video footage more "realistic" since its showing "real life" but I'd rather they'd just done an interlace effect over everything or something else instead. The look is dirty, oily?

Otherwise the story is overall fine but it's the most self contained, almost throw away, issue so far. I think some elements, like Rung's altmode will come up again. I've now got a least favourite issue of the series.