IDW RID #2 preview

[griffin]

Out this week is the second issue of the Robots in Disguise monthly (the Homeworld one), and a 7 page preview can be seen here.

[Paulbot]

There's some surprisingly quick plot developments there. But with this title I'm going to wait a month and see if the digital price drops (like the old ongoing or remains full cover price like many of the recent Marvel relaunches). I don't feel I need to read this title right away as I do with MTMTE.

[Sky Shadow]

Bumblebee is an idiot.

[Sharky]

Bumblebee is an idiot.

it is very un-bumblebee like...

[griffin]

Inconsistency of major characters, just to create a plot-device or to make/force something particular happen, undermines the integrity of the story itself. It makes it less reliable, as the sudden character change isn't plausible, and makes the writing of all characters unpredictable and upsetting to fans of those characters in the first place (who are fans of specific characters for a reason).
It's the same way people about Movie Optimus after TF2 - the flawless hero was suddenly a cold-hearted, callous killer... and with no build up or plausible reason behind the sudden change.
I was disappointed by the writers having Bumblebee do that to Starscream in the preview pages, as it could have been any other higher ranking Autobot, suddenly snapping in such a public, arrogant manner. I can see that it was necessary for an Autobot to take on that role of forcing the "NAILs" and audience, to see and/or accept the next phase of Decepticon Terrorist acts in the comic as being responsive to "Autobot aggression"... but really, Bumblebee has shown care and restraint (and sense) to not just lash out like that, right when it looks like Starscream was suddenly (also out of character) looking to speak openly and honestly. It created sympathy towards the homicidal maniac, over the "evil" Autobot aggressor... just like in TF2.

[Paulbot]

Given Starscream's history and reputation for treachery and doublecrossing (as well as being one of the most powerful Decepticons), you can't really blame Bumblebee for 'shooting' first and asking questions later.

[GoktimusPrime]

Bumblebee most likely doesn't want a repeat of that horri-bull incident. And it seems that he's merely incapacitated Starscream and not killed him. Perhaps Bumblebee was afraid that Starscream or some other Decepticon (if Starscream was serving as a distraction) was going to act - so he preferred to incapacitate him first rather than having to detonate another chip.

But Bumblebee's reaction was an absolute overkill. Starscream was presenting no threat to him and was even trying to plead with him. I can understand Bumblebee being wary of Starscream but he could have simply called a team of Autobots to come out there and arrest him for questioning. He didn't have to step out and sound all crazy then zap him with his Pokey-Stick. :/ Maybe 'Bee's just unhinged after having to "kill" Horri-Bull and is being overwhelmed by guilt?

I'm still not liking the "Terra-centricity" in these comics; like the "NAIL" thing and especially the "OSAL" thing... and now referring to fellow Cybertronians as "people" (kinda reminds me of the Armada dubs where Optimus Prime referred to the Autobots as his "men" <shudder>)

[Paulbot]

I'm still not liking the "Terra-centricity" in these comics; like the "NAIL" thing and especially the "OSAL" thing... and now referring to fellow Cybertronians as "people"

It's not OSAL or NAIL or People, its always some sort of Cybertronian equivalent. If everything in art the was in Cybertronian and required you to consult a decoder it would only please diehard nerds. Leave that to the hidden messages and injokes. And even those don't make sense, translation isn't character for character, or we could all read Chinese.

Just imagine they are actually saying things like this:

"Hey Tailgate, what does 011110010110111101110101 on your arm mean?"

"Oh that's short for 01100110011101010110001101101011 011110010110111101110101. I was meant to be part of the 01100110011101010110001101101011 011110010110111101110101 unit aboard the 01111001011011110111010100100000011001000110010101 10001101101111011001000110010101100100001000000111 010001101000011010010111001100111111 but I was late."

[GoktimusPrime]

It's not OSAL or NAIL or People, its always some sort of Cybertronian equivalent.

Okay, I can buy your explanation for Osal... but NAIL? The odds that the Cybertronian words for Non-Aligned Indigenous Lifeforms just happen to form an acronym that just happens to sound the same as the Cybertronian word for 'nail' which just happens sound insulting to Cybertronians are highly improbable.

If everything in art the was in Cybertronian and required you to consult a decoder it would only please diehard nerds.

There are other easy ways to translate it to the audience, e.g.
+ Characters reading the text aloud
+ Narrative captions that translate the text

Another way is just to use a Cybertronian font in English, like this. They did it in the latest issue with the "On/Off" button on the shuttle Skids was in.

[Golden Phoenix]

Okay, I can buy your explanation for Osal... but NAIL? The odds that the Cybertronian words for Non-Aligned Indigenous Lifeforms just happen to form an acronym that just happens to sound the same as the Cybertronian word for 'nail' which just happens sound insulting to Cybertronians are highly improbable.

Do they explain why it was offensive?

It could simply be that the acronym that was formed came out to be something else that was just as offensive to Cybertronian. For all we know it could have come out as the Cybertronian for Screw.