IDW Transformers ongoing [spoilers]

[heroic_decepticon]

I've been thinking about this, and I'm now sure that one of the reasons IDW has to keep rebooting the series every six months or every year is that the comics aren't accessible (or fun). Even I find them hard going and I have a degree in English literature and twenty-five years of immersion in Transformers lore. I know that one of the reasons for this is that these days comics are 'written for the trade', that is, it's not about the individual issues, but how they all fit together when they're published as a trade paperback. Except that this is stupid. Firstly, I buy comics monthly. As one of the people who does this, I assume I'm in some way supporting the comic's future – presumably there can't even be a trade paperback if the comic goes under due to no one reading it on a month-to-month basis. I want to be able to read and enjoy them one by one, but I can't, because I can never remember exactly what happened in the previous issue. And now I realise that the reason I can't do that is because nothing of note ever did happen in the previous issue. Which is also the reason I can't enjoy the comic I'm actually reading either - because nothing interesting is happening there either. And the vicious cycle continues.

Tell me any issue number of a Marvel US or UK comic and I can almost certainly tell you what happened in that issue off the top of my head. Sure, something 'wacky' may have happened, like 'the Decepticons ran an evil car wash' or 'the Decepticons ran an evil island resort' or 'the Decepticons ran an evil charitable organisation', but something happened every issue. Actually, a whole bunch of stuff happened every issue - each Transformers comic was an actual fully formed story with a beginning, middle and end, and that story then fit into a greater tapestry. Even if it was in the middle of a big story arc, each issue was still about something. A kid could pick up any issue off the newsstand and actually enjoy it. But ask me what happened in issue #3 of All Hail Megatron (or issue #9 or #10 or pretty much any issue of AHM for that matter) or in any issue of Infiltration or Escalation or... that other one (Desperation?) and I have absolutely no idea. Don't get me wrong, I love story arcs. But within the story arc, each issue has to have an individual story or it's just wasting my time. And to be fair, it's not just IDW - it was as bad or worse with Dreamwave... and we know what happened to them. In my opinion, decompression is killing Transformers comics. But a bit of fun and some real storytelling could bring them back to life. I have all my fingers crossed for The Last Stand Of The Wreckers. (Help me Nick Roche! You're my only hope.)

What you said, iss close to biblical truth as its going to get.

[SilverDragon]

For everyone who doesn't like the broken faces, here's something you may like.

It's amazing what simply changing the head design can do.

[Sam]

For everyone who doesn't like the broken faces, here's something you may like.

It's amazing what simply changing the head design can do.

Thanks for the link. For myself, I like those faces much more than the other ones.

[kup]

For everyone who doesn't like the broken faces, here's something you may like.

It's amazing what simply changing the head design can do.

Wow! That's a massive improvement!

[GoktimusPrime]

amazing how much improvement a... facelift... can make!

badoom-TISH!

[roller]

one the issue 1 cover of them running on a grid

is hardhead on the back cover?

[Sky Shadow]

Well... wow. I just read issue #2 and - with the exception of any pages with humans on them (which are all ubercrap) - this is one of the better Transformers comics I've read in recent years. I've even gotten used to the faces (although what's with the colourist whacking flat two-dimensional Autobot and Decepticon faction stickers on the characters at unrealistic angles?) I love stories where there's not just a black and white (or red and purple) Autobot-Decepticon divide, and this does it well. (Plus... Swindle and Spyglass. Yay!)

[Lord_Zed]

Well... wow. I just read issue #2 and - with the exception of any pages with humans on them (which are all ubercrap) - this is one of the better Transformers comics I've read in recent years. I've even gotten used to the faces (although what's with the colourist whacking flat two-dimensional Autobot and Decepticon faction stickers on the characters at unrealistic angles?) I love stories where there's not just a black and white (or red and purple) Autobot-Decepticon divide, and this does it well. (Plus... Swindle and Spyglass. Yay!)

The faces are actualy quite a bit different in issue 2, they are no longer growling at everyone, and the whole construction of the face is different. I can't say I like it better than the classic look, but I must admit the faces in issue 2 do actualy succeed at making Transformers look less cartoony without making them look disgustingly ugly.

I agree the story was better, though there are still many things unexplained if you try and connect the dots with the previous comics, and yes the humans more stereotypical and paperthin than ever. I read Kup's copy of the comic, and it's improved from issue one yeah, but I'm not buying into this one just yet.

[kup]

Iy seems that the fugly faces were Hasbro's idea afterall:

ActionFigs.com: Does Hasbro have an opinion about IDW rebooting the comic book series several times now? Are the hybrid designs from the G1 and Movie stylings in the comic Hasbro's idea or IDW's?

Hasbro: IDW has had great success with their Transformers comics. When they decided to start an on-going series there was a need to make a splash so fans would know that issue #1 was the next step in Transformers comics, so we decided that a new look would help.
Like Hasbro's relationship with all of our partners we were involved every step of the way, including a change to the new design in order to reflect a forward moving style for a more modern feel.

[GoktimusPrime]

Wahahahahaha! Win!

I gotta get this off my chest, Cliffjumper calling Bumblebee "BB" really gives me the sh*ts.

Note to self: if I ever meet this writer, SLAP him. (no, it's not so bad that it's worth a janglies attack... just a good pimpslap will do)

I thought the story was okay, but I personally preferred Bumblebee #1. One strange thing... WHY are they referring to Octane as Tankor and Bluestreak as Silverstreak?! Don't tell me that IDW has lost the rights to use these names as comic book characters. (-_-) And if the excuse is to support Hasbro, then why are they still calling Hot Rod "Hot Rod" instead of "Rodimus"? Gah! Another weird thing... in #2 they cited Silverstreak as one of the Autobots who deserted Bumblebee's Autobots and left with Hot Rodimus, yet in Bumblebee #1 we see Silverstreak (coloured BLUE!) standing among Bumblebee's Autobots in the cave! Buh?!