All Hail Megatron Coda #13 to #16

[Paulbot]

Thought I'd start a new thread for these four issues and leave the last thread for people who read the second trade to comment.

The first issue of the new series starts with an Ironhide/Optimus Prime chat. It kind of feels like an extended Mosaic and is very much a discussion with a few flashbacks thrown in. Both aspects are interesting. The art though... Adopting the movie feel is not too bad. The added complexity to the robot modes isn't too far removed from what we saw in the earlier IDW series. It's just the faces. Well for me it's the teeth (and Prime's retractable faceplate) that just look wrong.

The second story has more traditional looking character models, but the style and colouring make me think of the earliest Transformers tie-in books. I prefered it when I saw the previews in black and white, but it grew on me. The story features the giant Astrotrain as seen in TFTM but somehow makes him seem even bigger than in the film.

There's a throwaway line describing the tapes as Soundwave's children. I don't think it's meant to be taken literally as it clashes with Megatron: Origin (even though I tend to view that as an Dreamwave comic published by IDW). If it is I think it's the first time in canon that Soundwave has been called a parent to the tapes, and that's an idea I've personally never been a fan of.

I generally like how these two stories seem like two short Spotlight comics and look forward to the next three issues.

[kup]

so it's out? cool.

Sorry didn't read any of your post to avoid spoilers

[Paulbot]

Yes #13 was out last week I believe. No real plot spoilers in my first post.

[i_amtrunks]

Week before actually!

Got a mate to nab it for me when it came out, and I still have not read it, that's how bad the impression the 5 page preview gave me.

Might go find it and read it now, no good footy on yet and there's 15 minutes before the cricket starts!

[i_amtrunks]

Might go find it and read it now,

And what a waste of 5 minutes.

First story was... well boring. Sure it is nice to get a bit of depth to characters, (especially after the cartoon portrayal of characters used in AHM) and in that aspect its a decent but not outstanding story. However Ironhide and Optimus have been heavily featured in IDW stories already. Had it been a lesser known pair (Springer and Kup perhaps) it would have been far better.
Art is atrocious, and if I knew this was the direction IDW were heading in, I'd drop their comics right now.

The second story written by Mike Costa gives us a better idea of what to expect from the ongoing series, Starscream is back to his infiltration style character, a complete 180 change from where he was at the end of AHM (which was so very out of character for him in everything IDW), Kind of glad to see him back to scheming while Soundwave remains ever loyal. Also interesting that Starscream grabbed the Matrix.
Liked the little mental note about Razorclaw, and the splinter factions, ties into the "-tion" stories and other transformers lore in general.
Art was different, but in a good way, I actually enjoyed the change for the shorter story, but certainly something Id not like to see in the ongoing.

Both stories had an extended Mosaic feel to them, a nice change of pace, but I'm sure I will be sick of it come AHM #16, for what really is a series to tie AHM into the "-tion" and future ongoing series, a problem that should never have occurred in the first place.

[Blink90210]

I believe Mike Costa is going to do the on-going Transformers comic and based on what he's written, I've sure it'll be ok. As I said to PB two weeks ago, I'm not a fan of the teeth and the way the eyes are done and I really hope I can look past it because it really is distracting for me.

[Zahhak]

best line in the comic : starscream "I'd jettison him(megatron) ceremoniously into orbit if I didn't have this nagging feeling he'd back stronger'
TFTM references for the win.

[roller]

first story is stupid

i think the G1 cartoon pulled off drinking robots better then this story

The art!!!! why IDW why???!!!!

From start to finish it should be the same type of artwork, i want consistency in the art!!!

Infiltration- great art > Maximum dinobots- Armada cartoon art> AHM Coda-movie designs on G1 silly


The second story was good, but that line by starscream about throwin the corpse into space, just too silly

[liegeprime]

I believe Mike Costa is going to do the on-going Transformers comic and based on what he's written, I've sure it'll be ok. As I said to PB two weeks ago, I'm not a fan of the teeth and the way the eyes are done and I really hope I can look past it because it really is distracting for me.

Creepy is the word I can think to describe those eyes and teeth detailing

[kup]

I have to agree that both these stories felt more like extended fan made Mosaics than anything substantial that adds to the overall story. I am disappointed with this because if I want to read isolated 'character depth' stories like these that add very little then I can just go to the Mosaic website and read them for free instead!

The Prime and Ironhide story was indeed a waste of time. A very cliche 'Don't leave! You are my friend and we need you. Let's remember the old times!' story which is pretty much what you expect to read in a Mosaic. I didn't mind the art so much but I did see it as non fitting as although the attempt is to make them more movie like, it didn't do that too well and it just ends up looking freaky and Prime's mouth was awful. However even with the art aside, the story wasn't very good and didn't make much sense. I felt that Ironhide didn't really contribute much to Prime's leadership and was more of an obstacle than a proper mentor.

It seems that Furman thought up this story in 5 minutes without much effort and given the treatment that he has received from IDW, its no surprise. I also would be reluctant in dedicating a lot of work and time into something only to have the publisher discard it all in favor of a mediocre 12 issue story with a mediocre writer.

Overall the story was lame and it didn't bring anything to the table in regards to the overall story ark.

The Starscream story was a little better but again, it also read like an extended Mosaic. It is basically a character story on Starscream which feels a bit odd and contradictory to events we saw in Issue 12 to AHM when it comes to Starscream's character. Specially when he tried to talk Soundwave into turning off the life support systems. That wasn't very 'Decepticon' of him according to Issue 12, he is supposed to take power not have it handed to him

The bit with 'Soundwave's children was also lame but I hope that Starscream meant that figuratively.

This Mosaic *cough* Coda story did contribute more story wise. We know that the Matrix is still under the possession of the Decepticons and that the Decepticons are still divided into factions as it has pretty much always been in the comics and that Razorclaw is a contender for the Decepticon throne if Megatron dies. These bits that explain 'forgotten plot points' in AHM 1-12 are good but not enough to make this story worthwhile as the story went no where - It was basically 'A day in the life of Starscream' story.

This issue of the first Coda is very disappointing. The writers are not making any real effort- particularly Furman - and they seem no longer willing to bring forth an involved story ark as IDW has proven willing to discard years of work for something inferior and badly thought out as a 'reader appeal' attempt and as a writer who likes involved and meaning full story arks, Furman clearly doesn't want to risk that happening again.

I expected to read proper stories, not two meaningless Mosaics. I am very tempted to call it quits as of now as paying $8 per issue isn't worth it for this work.