Full Preview of IDW Transformers Reboot Released

[TaZZerath]

Seibertron.com has the full 5-page preview of the new IDW Reboot first issue available for viewing.

Personal reaction? Mixed for a preview. I won't spoil any potential story. Trying to go in with an open mind but some of the expressions have me worried about Dull Surprise re-emerging from the ashes; that is, a 'toning down' of emotions. I know they're robots but they are (and always have been) relatable in form and function.

[Gouki]

Well that was certainly bland. I'll give it some time to improve, but IDW had something amazing before. So far I can't see it reaching those heights.

[SMHFConvoy]

I felt it was a bit of a slow burn and remembered that they're shipping twice a month for the time being

[i_amtrunks]

Would a Mod prefer we move this thread to the reviews section, or start a new review thread?

It felt ridiculously short, even with all the exposition dialogue. Some interesting tidbits dropped in regard to Bumblebee, Prowl and even Titans that I am sure are seeds being sown for later.

Pros: Good time period, interesting last page hook, fairly consistent art
Cons: Having to give Orion the Prime silhouette, art was only passable (but it was consistent), very slow and boring.

It a nutshell, it was the actual opposite of the IDW1 Transformers... no humans, fairly dull start and not all that attention grabbing!

I'll give it about 6 months to see where it goes, I'm hoping they've got things planned out well to keep us interested.

[griffin]

Would a Mod prefer we move this thread to the reviews section, or start a new review thread?

A review thread can be started in the review section for the ongoing comic series. This topic can be for people to post up their quick first impressions, particularly from the preview pages.

[GoktimusPrime]

I've read the first two issues - the last 2 comics purchased from Phantom Zone after 28 years of patronage there.

Anyway, I found them to be about as thrilling as watching grass grow. Lots of talking heads and minimal action. Only once maybe twice per issue did I see anyone transforming. I understand that they're world-building, but boy is it is just so dull. Beast Wars had world-building too but the pilot episode started off by thrusting us into the action. Even IDW's Escalation did the same thing; we're thrown into the action and throughout the course of the series the Transformers universe is built around the adventure.

I don't mind each issue being part of a bigger ongoing series, but I would like each issue to be an entertaining story on its own. Like if I bought this issue and read it but didn't read any other issues then it should still entertain me without the need to read the others. Reading other issues would enhance my reading experience of course, but it shouldn't be so essential that the individual issue's story can barely stand on its own legs. That's what Marvel's Transformers comics were like, as were most (but not all) of the IDW's pre-reboot comics. Each issue should entertain me leaving me to want to purchase the next issue. In the 80s the G1 comics had to do this to encourage us kids to make the trek to the newsagents each month (or week for the UK comics) to go and spend our pocket money on the next issue. A dull story might very well mean that we didn't make the effort to go and buy the next issue.

Lacklustre stories like these makes me feel like the writers are taking the audience for granted; especially at the very beginning. Just assuming that we're going to keep on buying these comics to wait and see if it gets interesting rather than engaging the audience from the outset. Anyway, now that my local comic shop has closed down I have no regular means of collecting comics. If I hear news from other fans saying that this series drastically improves then I might consider buying the TPB later on, but I'm not motivated to find other ways to collect the individual issues, especially now that it's become a hassle for me.

P.S.: On the plus side I didn't notice any glaring attacks on the English language. Just struggled to stay awake while reading them.

[i_amtrunks]

Can’t believe that they have had a late issue already.

I’m ready to go trade only, it’s boring, the art is bland and it still doesn’t know if it wants to be IDW ver 2.0 or a new entity. It feels like a series you forget about for two or three months then read online 6-8 issues in a block.

[KELPIE]

The art is awful, the writing is painful and the colours and character choices are uninspired.

The whole thing just seems like a team cashing in their paycheck, no passion in the project at all.