(JAN-2013) Gen1 Comics - Comments and reviews

[GoktimusPrime]

It's hard for me to make a comparison between the original Marvel series and current Transformer comics mainly because I haven't read any current series

It's also an unfair comparison because current writers don't have Hasbro execs breathing down their necks telling them which characters they need to introduce and remove from continuity and when... and this sometimes continuity issues... but sometimes it worked out pretty well, like "mass slaughter" stories like the Underbase Saga where they just KILLED lots and lots of Transformers to remove the "old toys" from the story! It allowed writers to appease Hasbro and make room for new toy characters to appear, but also maintain continuity and also create a more mature feel for the comic stories (i.e. war is consequential and people die in random horrible ways). Also, as much as the Marvel Comics were more "mature" than the Sunbow/Marvel cartoons, they were still principally targeted at kids, whereas IDW comics are targeted at adults.

however I'd recommend the Marvel series to anyone who has a slight interest in Transformers because THIS is what started it all - or more specifically Bob Budiansky.

+1 QFT!!

Totally true. It was Marvel who created the original Transformers mythos for Hasbro... Autobots, Decepticons, Cybertron... they created the names and wrote the original toy tech spec bios. Without Marvel, Transformers were just a bunch of random Japanese transforming robot toys that Hasbro wanted to import. And while the toys themselves were very cool, the mythos made them so much cooler! I'd say Transformers have become far more successful than Diaclone or Micro Change ever were, even in Japan.

[*] The first dozen or so issues are incredibly verbose. Individual panels are quite small, relying on the text to tell you what's happening rather than showing it in the picture or dialogue. This seems to get better however and by roughly issue 24 the comics feel a lot more modern in terms of the narrative style and delivery

That was pretty typical of American comics in the 1980s. The UK reprints omitted a lot of those self introductory expositions.

Some silliness does still crop up from time to time however. When the Autobots are choosing a new leader, Grimlock shows up claiming the leadership as he's the strongest. The other Autobots explain the qualities a good leader should have and he leaves in a huff. A short time later after Grimlock saves the Ark from Trypticon the other Autobots crown him leader as he displayed all the necessary qualities. By the next issue, surprise, surprise, he's a terrible leader.

The Autobots elected Grimlock as their leader because he demonstrated positive potential in the way his character changed in #27 (heh, after all this time I can still remember the exact issue number ) -- Grimlock attacked Trypticon (and thus inspires his fellow Dinobots to follow his lead) because he was inspired by the courage of the human girl Rachel (smashing his previous misgiving that all humans were cowards, thus eliciting Grimlock to further self reflect), and he also saved the Ark and the Autobots in doing so. In doing this, the Autobots believed that Grimlock had demonstrated wisdom, compassion and courage: the core qualities of an Autobot leader as personified by Optimus Prime.

Of course, absolutely power corrupts absolutely and Grimlock became a tyrant (and self declared "King")... but the Autobots didn't know that he'd become like that when they voted for him. An elected leader who becomes a despotic dictator hated by those who put him in power? Well...

Btw, are you only reading the US issues or are you reading the UK ones too? Because I personally think the UK ones are better in the following ways:
+ Better artwork. Superior colouring and print quality. In the 1980s the Americans kept on using that horrible pixelated print on really crappy cheap paper. The Brits on the other hand really put a lot more effort into their artwork - not as "statuesque" as the Yanks, but really emotive and full of life. The colour palette was far wider and just beautifully hand painted to create various visual effects (e.g. lighting) that are achieved digitally today.
+ Better story telling. Furman wasn't nearly under as much pressure from Hasbro as Budiansky was in terms of which toy/characters he could insert/remove, which gave him more creative writing freedom. He just had to try to avoid making his stories conflict with the US run, which also led to...
+ Greater scope for character development, such as Optimus Prime who isn't as one dimensional as he is the US comics or cartoon. In the UK comics he is riddled with self guilt as he blames himself for bringing the Transformers' war to Earth. Also greater scope for including lesser known characters not seen in the US comics or cartoon, such as Jumpstarters, Deluxe Autobots, Deluxe Insecticons etc.

Having said that, one thing I really like about Budiansky's portrayal of the Transformers is making them other worldly and reminding us that these are ALIEN robots who, while they may have some human qualities, are NOT human. e.g. when Gears falls and shatters apart, the Autobots take his remains back to the Ark showing no emotional concern, which upset Spider-Man, but then he realises that they brought him back to be repaired. But the fact that they barely even battered an eyelid makes them feel very alien... I mean, if a human got an arm bitten off by a shark, even if a doctor came along and felt that he could confidently reattach it, it'd still be a very emotional ambulance ride! Or when Bruticus first sees a human, he freaks out like a little child spying a cockroach and wants to squish it. Few other Transformers writers gone to the effort to remind the audience that these really are otherworldly aliens. Almost all other TF writers are guilty of making the Transformers too human. The only other writers that made them so otherworldly would have been Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci for the first Bayformer movie ("The boy's pheromone levels indicates that he wants to mate with the female." <---aawwwkwwwaarrrdd social faux pas moment!)

[Iriorne]

Of course, absolutely power corrupts absolutely and Grimlock became a tyrant (and self declared "King")... but the Autobots didn't know that he'd become like that when they voted for him. An elected leader who becomes a despotic dictator hated by those who put him in power? Well...

It's definitely set the stage for some interesting story directions and it's a nice change of pace from Optimus' leadership. It's also an interesting contrast with his cartoon portrayal in which he was written as more a "chaotic good" archetype. He didn't always direct his energy towards the right targets but his spark was in the right place.

My main gripe with it is that it was pretty obvious he'd be a poor leader. While he may have shown the appropriate leadership qualities while saving the ark, that was only one instance and completely inconsistent with his past actions. Grimlock may have had potential but it was unreasonable to expect him to change so dramatically overnight. Maybe the other Autobots still had their cerebro-circuits scrambled from the battle. Hard to be too picky as they're generally pretty good.

I'm reading through the US Marvel series currently but I have heard that the UK series was better, as you say. I had a quick look online and it looks like the UK writers were incredibly prolific.... 332 issues compared to the US run of 80. I know they slotted their own issues around the US stories but even so it still seems pretty incredible. I might need a break before I tackle the UK series.

[...] one thing I really like about Budiansky's portrayal of the Transformers is making them other worldly and reminding us that these are ALIEN robots [...]

Agreed. In the cartoon the Transformers behaved in a very human manner, and the humans never batted an eyelid when the giant transforming robots showed up. It's nice to see the 'robots in disguise' angle getting some attention.