IDW Transformers ongoing [spoilers]

[Sky Shadow]

It's this the issue where Impactor is having lunch with Megatron? If it is then that's awesome! I was hoping for that issue to be good and not the usual IDW mediocrity.

It's actually the next issue already. We 'reviewed' the Impactor and Megatron issue (#22) somewhere here on OTCA - weirdly I can't find it in a search though.

[i_amtrunks]

I think we reviewed it in the ongoing IDW thread rather than make a thread for every issue.

I've yet to read #23 but it seems that (surprise surprise) a new writer who has obviously read much of the previously released fiction can work it all in together in a much more coherant and enjoyable story with characters rather than the blow-ins who just wanted to write a mini focussing on a character or two and then get it shoe-horned into an ongoing.

[Paulbot]

Transformers 23. I think the Megatron issue was better but the pair of issues makes a great two parter. This was a bit more action focused which is really interesting. Megatron's issue and origin is rather non-violent, while Optimus Prime's is full of violence.

I like this story's take on the beginning of the Cybertron civil war. There's similarities to Exodus. I like that it is trying to tie in to Megatron: Origin even if I don't like that book.

But there's unanswered questions. I want to see more of that period. Perhaps one of the two new ongoings after Chaos will be set back in this era?

[kup]

It's actually the next issue already. We 'reviewed' the Impactor and Megatron issue (#22) somewhere here on OTCA - weirdly I can't find it in a search though.

Damn! I missed out. I guess I will have to wait for the TPB.

[Paulbot]

Transformers 24. Chaos begins and unfortunately it's a bit old school IDW. Not a lot happens in this issue really and there's a lot less to read than in the previous two parter. Livio Ramondelli's art is really nice. Unconventional for Transformers and some might hate it. Livio has some storytelling problems (often mostly because it's hard to tell who the robot in a panel is) but his renditions of the Sweeps are scary (first time in any G1 fiction I've ever thought that) and there's a great two page splash. It's helped by lovely paint-like colouring. In a way the art reminds me of the best G1 picture storybooks mixed with Animated expressionism. Still, so far the plot is not giving me what I wanted from the story and the lead up.

[i_amtrunks]

Still, so far the plot is not giving me what I wanted from the story and the lead up.

Unfortunate to hear as the past 3 issues have been a giant leap in quality of storytelling, in two issues we got more depth and understanding of two of the most (until this point) one dimensional characters in the IDW run. Not only that but it was starting to feel as though they were building to something pivotal not only in the near future, but also relating to the "in universe" past.

But instead it looks as though Chaos is going down the trite "summer blockbuster" comic route, where there will be a big bad that shakes up the story and "things will never be the same again..."

[i_amtrunks]

Transformers 24. Chaos begins and unfortunately it's a bit old school IDW. Not a lot happens in this issue really and there's a lot less to read than in the previous two parter.

Cannot agree more, issue #24 is a massive step backwards after the best two "main story" issues since Furman parted ways at the end of Revelation.

The story can be summed up very simply: "Oh! bad robots, we can't trust them, lets fight instead." Undoing everything that was built up to in the previous few issues.

And it is not like we don't all know the general idea of what is going to happen next...

Art is different. I like it and dislike it at different points, it is not the best style for showing battle scenes, and this issue really tries to build up the main battle scene, so big mistake there. The next issue will shoot off on another angle, then 126 will continue this story. Could be very annoying to casual readers.

Still better than AHM and the first year of ongoing.

[Paulbot]

Still better than AHM and the first year of ongoing.

Transformers #25 feels like a return to the early issues of the ongoing. We're back to Earth, with only the briefest mentions of what's been happening in the past few issues with the Cybertron-bound Autobots. The focus is back on Autobots in disguise in a world where the humans fear them. The art is similar to Don's early work, but the robots are a bit more rounded.

I was quite happy to see Streetwise finally making a substantial appearance after his surprise cameo in the first issue of the ongoing. There's hints that many threads from the previous (earth-based) issues of the series are going to lead towards a definite conclusion, and I do like that. If you haven't liked the Earth stories though you can probably wait two weeks until the next issue back on Cybertron.

The decision to alternate the issues is a bit odd, If you had to wait two months between issues it'd be too much. The current format does make the book two monthly comics, but I can't help feel it would have been better off to wrap up the Earth story first while the other Autobots were travelling to Cybertron.

[Paulbot]

Transformers #26 is the second part of Chaos and I think it's better than part one but still has flaws and we're no closer to knowing what Galvatron's plan is.

Part one seemed to be too light on plot, but part two feels like it speeds through too much plot too quickly. It's not helped by the art which, while moody and attractive, doesn't seem right for the epic battles I want to see. Instead you get a few panels only in which it's harder then it should be to work out who all those Autobots flying & driving off to battle are? (Harder when some of these haven't featured in the previous 25 issues at all, and the forces that landed on Cybertron in #24 seemed much smaller.)

Not sure about Silverbolt turning into his Universe 2.0 toy (joints and sound button included!) but there's at least another new look for a familiar character that looks really good.

[Paulbot]

Transformers #27 takes us back to Earth, and I'm thinking it would have been better for the three-parter to have happened while the other Autobots travelled to Cybertron. Because now we've got the situation where the big important stuff is happening on Cybertron and we cut back to rather mundane happenings on earth.

But there's good stuff in the book, starting with Cover B. Sure you could pick up a cover with Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus, but those guys have been and will be on many covers. No go for the alternative cover of Streetwise vs Brawl. I quite enjoyed the Streetwise and Prowl dynamic. I like seeing the two Autobot police cars as policemen, but I really like seeing Streetwise being treated as someone more than Defensor's leg.

It's easy to tune out though during the human scenes. The ongoing comics's never made the human soldier characters all that interesting. I'm quite ready for this storyline to be wrapped up and put aside for the Chaos storyline to proceed.