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Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Best Transformers Toys with Cybertronian Alt Modes (Air Vehicles)
As we previously witnessed, cybertronian alt modes can be a very lazy excuse for a subpar alt mode that looks like a mishmash of robot parts. To counter that, I wanted to showcase the amazing designs that Takara and Hasbro came up with when exploring the cybertronian aesthetic and how an amazing cybertronian alt mode could result in an equally impressive robot mode. After all, these are the default looks of these characters on their home planet by definition, so it's interesting to see when designers go all out to give the best representation of said character. Since there are so many great toys out there, I divided this between land vehicle alt modes, which we discussed last time, and this week's list which focuses on cybertronian air vehicle alt modes.
While Megatron has turned into cybertronian spaceships quite a few times to the point where it is now one of his staple alt modes, next to a tank and gun, this was the very first time he had one and the best so far. It is such a departure for the character. I love how utterly alien it is, like an 80s Lego Spaceship (SPACESHIPS!) set, especially with the wings split open, which is also reminiscent of the X-Wing. I also love how massive and chunky this toy is in robot mode which plays a nice contrast to the sleek and narrow nosecone while preserving the impression of Megatron’s power. The homages to Galvatron are outstanding and have been brought up in another list. They even have a purple redeco which is one of the most faithful and best Galvatron toy made so far.
This guy’s design is literally out of this world. That robot mode looks like nothing Hasbro/Takara has ever done or will ever do; he’s like a demonic Gundam figure from hell. He is also an amazing example at showing how you can make a cool looking spaceship which integrates its entire alt mode into the robot, and his alt mode doesn’t look like a jet on a robot’s back. The way the abdomen transforms is unique and he accomplishes a long tried gimmick of having wings become swords. What I like best about him is how his robot and alt mode depend on one another to function and yet both have their own unique accomplished look.
While the robot mode is really great and gives him the appearance of a wise and powerful wizard, the alt mode is simply a knockout. This toy was initially supposed to be based on the Star Wars Sith Infiltrator but that was just a starting point and the design evolved over time to give us this magnificent ship. There are a few other possible homages maybe at play with this ship. I spot tiny similarities between him and the “Last Autobot” from Marvel’s G1 comics, which was also a guardian appointed by Primus. I also love how this alt mode is just covered in intricate sculpting. There are piles and piles of gears interconnected all over the surface of the vehicle. These are joined by a series of curved and intricate cut lines that look like the mysterious characters found on Beast Machines Optimus Primal's chest (from the RID line). All these details help sell Vector Prime's ancient appearance and link with Primus. These details also look like a clock’s gears which refer to both his age and his position as guardian of time. Aside from all this beauty, he also has the best and least intrusive minicon integration, along with brilliant weapon storage (more on that in another list) and a quick but fun transformation. At this point, ranking these picks from 1-3 was almost arbitrary since he is a superb transformer toy and has a cybertronian vehicle mode which is really hard to beat.
This toy is so slick. It accomplishes the sleek robot mode and cybertronian jet mode with minimal kibble present in either. It is usually hard to engineer a nosecone out of a robot mode which is why it is usually part of the robot mode design or brought to the back, as is the case with Energon Megatron. However, for this toy, the engineers were clever enough to have the nosecone fold into the robot chest as well as an extra telescoping mechanism. You end up with a toy that looks like Cyclonus just jumped right out of a G1 episode and onto your desk.
This is such a smart and stellar cybertronian alt mode that I just could not place it any lower than number 1. The vehicle mode is a great homage to both the cybertronian tetra-jet of G1 and Don Figueroa's design for Generation 1 Starscream in Dreamwave's The War Within, while being it’s own unique design at the same time. I even feel it has a semblance to the Star Wars Star Destroyer due to how it is more flat than the two other source points, and that look is power incarnate. What I love so much about this toy is how both the vehicle and robot mode share the same cybertronian body and yet look totally accomplished and unique from one another. This results in a very simple transformation that yields amazing results. There is no jet on top of the robot, the robot IS the Jet. While his vehicle mode evokes power, that same notion is incorporated in the robot mode giving him a very regal appearance with a lot of bulk, especially around the shoulder area. Of all the bodies Starscream has had, this is one where I could totally see take Megatron head on and lead the Decepticons. He also has the least bothering exposed head which is not conspicuous or evident and works well with the highly detailed alt mode, as well as an equally unobtrusive cyberkey gimmick which gives him energon swords which always flip out unobstructed. It’s too bad the initial version of this toy never made it outside Japan, but luckily Hasbro saw the potential of this mold and used it for a few other decos, making it a phenomenal seeker mold. I wish they didn’t stop at just Dirge though.
Honorable Mentions: The main one I struggled to keep on the list was Beast Machines Jetstorm.
The Transformers era with the most of these cybertronian air vehicles would have to be G1 and while that is for a very specific audience (and another list), I cannot help but find some designs just outright amazing. The one I would like to point out is Scattershot. He shares a lot of the same points Energon Megatron had. I love how his alt mode has a central cannon that is principle to that mode and distracts from any robot kibble one might notice (like the legs). The fact that the cannon can open up and serve as a cannon for a battle station mode all while this toy is also a torso for a scramble city combiner is just gravy.
Synopsis
"If you want to break someone—mentally, physically, emotionally—wait until they're happy. Let them live and love and thrive. Once they recognize the value of a life well lived... THAT'S when you move in for the kill. Because you can't take anything from someone who has nothing to lose." --Tarn
Promises
Story
There is one big story being told here, and it's quite clear who the main character is - despite what Rodimus may think, what the various pairings have brought, this is now Megatron's tale, and his relationship with the Decepticon credo, its precepts, its inception, its ultimate corruption and downfall, and how all that reflects back onto him through his greatest admirer and follower: Tarn.
Sorry Rodders
If the main story concerns Megatron, his decisions and his past and present colliding, there are so many other spotlights allowed across the entire cast, especially on the Lost Light/Team Rodimus side. Swerve and Ten, in particular (but not just them), get some excellent advancement in their own personal arcs, especially the latter.
Ten, ten ten, Teeen
And then we have the other side, the freakily, scarily, horrifyingly charismatic leader of the DJD, and the expression of what Megatron has been in the eyes, minds and lives of innumerable lives across the galaxy: Tarn. We begin - begin - to see what will be coming soon in the arc, and the tension is really just kept to build and strain.
Ooh, morbid!
The moments are heartfelt, there are tough choices and decisions, and even tougher talks to be had. The tension is still building up, and there is no resolution as yet of course, but this issue takes the story into some heavy territories, while drawing on some narrative beats we have encountered before in James Roberts' writing, and this series in particular.
Art
Alex Milne brings some excellent composition to the table, for the issue. We have several shots of ensembles, but the solo poses are probably some of the best in a while in this run, and not just for the major players in the game. We get magnificent layouts, linework, plus strained cheerfulness for Swerve, some actual affection shown among the crew, and some of the saddest/most mortified Megatrons around.
All together now!
The emotional turmoil running through Megatron and the Lost Lighters, even with Swerve and Whirl, is particularly highlighted by the impressive colouring and lighting contrasts, deftly deployed by Joana Lafuente. Once again, and yes, I'm falling into repetition, Tarn and Megatron get some nice specular and parallel treatments, in terms of how shadows fall (and who casts them), and the whole book carries the weight of it.
Ominous shadowwwwsss
While a lot of the action is contained to the initial pages, even just the title page is a wonderful example of what Tom B. Long's good lettering can do to a book. I mean, look at the first image of this review. There are a number of instances where the font and letters make or break a panel, again, still, always. As for covers, I am still wondering where the colourist credit for the Andrew Griffith (gorgeous) Tarn variant, but we also get Livio Ramondelli's first venture in DJD territory (thumbnailed) and the regular, terrifying slot with Alex Milne and Josh Perez.
Thoughts Spoilerish ahead
You will have noticed, I have used mostly images from the public preview in this review - there are some many excellent pages and panels that I'd rather readers took time and space to enjoy themselves, I didn't want to ruin the experience. One passage in particular is almost moving, and the writing and visuals are a masterful blend to convey the number of emotions (particularly on one side of the spectrum) in the book.
Still not showing - have an explosion
As fellow critical comics reader ScottyP said to me, as I was preparing the review: The Hype Was Real. This is a truly well done, well thought out, well crafted book, touching on all the major themes that the series has explored so far, and venturing into a new one altogether, with some returning elements that were almost left to one side, and some that have been a long way coming.
It took several months, a number of server crashes, lost images, chomped posts and loss of patience this side of the screen - but we're back, we're topical, and we have a botload of customs, artwork, comics, fiction, robots, robits, robats for all of you to enjoy this Sunday! No surprises, but plenty of tasty tasty work coming out of Transtopia - make sure to comment if you like what you see!
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 10 Best Transformers Toys with Cybertronian Alt Modes (Land Vehicles)
As we witnessed a few weeks ago, cybertronian alt modes can be a very lazy excuse for a subpar alt mode that looks like a mishmash of robot parts. To counter that, I wanted to showcase the amazing designs that Takara and Hasbro came up with when exploring the cybertronian aesthetic and how an great cybertronian alt mode could result in an equally impressive robot mode (hence why Cybertron Override isn't on the list). After all, these are the default looks of these characters on their home planet by definition, so it's interesting to see when designers go all out to give the best representation of said character. It turns out that there were so many good designs and toys that I had to split this up between two lists, one for the best cybertronian land vehicles (which is what we will start with) and one for the best air vehicles (which will come next).
Burn said it best for this toy:
"I was never a fan of (Animated) aesthetic, but for the Cybertron forms it worked well and embraced one of the things I love about Transformers. The fact that they're an advanced alien life form. And this guy encompassed that look, sleek, and futuristic."
I just love it when a cybertronian tank doesn’t mean a robot spreading his limbs out to form a hap hazard H tank and/or sticking his head out (like so many other Megatron or Shockwave toys). Instead, here, you have a very compact weapon of war with a giant cannon and dual purpose treads that make better thrusters for some light vertical jumps when brought under the vehicle (replicating what was seen in the video game). These treads then have a fun transformation of folding onto one another to make some bad ass forearms (and connect the hand pieces). It’s a great look and a breath of fresh air for all other tank Megatrons.
When it comes to cybertronian alt modes, this guy cannot be ignored. It is a perfect combination of both strength and speed with a sleek alt mode that is also massive and powerful looking, especially with the giant cannons that spring out. The Japanese name for this toy really encompasses that cool combination of power and speed by calling him Land Bullet. That contrast really comes full circle when you realize that the sleek and long vehicle becomes a brawler type robot with huge forearms and a wide chest. I love that rockbiter-like head sculpt (where the jaw moves as his head turns). This toy also has one of the best retools ever with Dark Crumplezone (called Arm Bullet in Japan) which has every single part redone for a totally new look.
It is so fun when designers have a field day with cybertronian modes. This mold is one of those fun occasions where we can see what these alien robots actually looked like back on their planet. As you might guess, it is unlike anything you would find on Earth. I really like how removed this quadrupedal vehicle is from Ratchet’s Earth mode while still giving you an idea of why he would pick a van as an alt mode on Earth. This has more of a tortoise design which indicates a greater importance on maneuverability than speed, which works very well for a rescue mission. In the end, I just love how this is a really heartfelt attempt at designing an otherworldly ground vehicle that isn’t simply the robot mode in some funny position. What’s great is that you still end up with a robot mode that is very similar to the one found on Earth mode Ratchet. This subtly adds an extra layer to the mechanics of Transformers where the scanning mechanism results in a greater change to the alt mode than the robot mode. That’s amazing!
This guy is all about the alt mode. Sure, the robot mode is fine aside from balancing issues with his monstrous shins, but seriously, you get this guy for the alt mode. This gives us the answer to the ultimate question "What would the Batmobile look like on Cybertron?" It would look awesome, that's what! And like I said, Megatron is no slouch in robot mode either. For one, the intricate detailing makes it seem like he is wearing Unicron's armour. Look at the circuity and circular details on his shoulders, for instance, which are also found on Unicron. He also shares that spike motif along his arms. In short this is just a great beefy Transformer who's bigger size just means more detail, with a very satisfying and intuitive transformation and loads of articulation.
Also, just a heads up: the "Just us geeks" website named this as one of the top 5 Transformer toys of all time in 2012.
5. Beast Machines Tankor
This is quite the underrated toy with loads of non intrusive gimmicks (like hidden saw blades) and the very best light piping ever. Firstly, they actually went out of their way to make the toy better and more fun than the intended cartoon model by giving it two separate and different looking heads when they could have been boring and just have the tank stand up with the same head (as was done later in the Generations line, sometimes cartoon accurate means more dull). In the show though, this head is (sadly) the same and thus it scans the environment in both modes which is shown as a red dot going from side to side on his visor. Well, this toy replicates that by having a nob which turns so that a slit in the light piping moves from side to side, making it look like he is scanning. This works for both the tank head and the robot head, and better yet, they are interconnected so that both gimmicks are activated at the same time. It’s also a solid and bulky toy with a fun transformation that is more complex and satisfying than the more show accurate toy.
We often get sleeker versions of earth based cars (like Cybertron Hotshot) that don't capitalize on the potential of designing vehicles from other worlds. This one totally fits the bill though. Unlike so many other alt modes, it bravely crosses the line between being a futuristic design to a full blown cybertronian one. It is a great homage to G1 Arcee which is followed through in robot mode and I like the added massive spoilers in the back. That detail gives it enough variation from the traditional Arcee model. Too bad it has exposed hands in vehicle mode though. Props go for it having that signature Arcee backpack without going the easy route and making this a shellformer.
Animated Arcee might be great but this one tops it. This cybertronian cruiser is very sleek and definitely otherworldly. I love how compact it is and perfectly aero dynamic yet not necessarily designed for speed. It’s just a summer loving convertible from a different world. It rolls super well too and there isn’t any extraneous robot kibble. However, that is due to it being a shellformer but the shell does fold in onto itself at the midsection recreating the G1 look very well. It is great to see a deluxe come with so many accessories and different places to store them in both robot mode and vehicle mode (the vehicle mode storage where Arcee’s robot hands hold a gun into place is really clever). While this is not a masterpiece, it looks exactly like the G1 cartoon model. Especially with the softer Takara deco which looks like it is made of delicious candy. For those who don’t know, this is the only toy from this line (Thrilling 30) to be designed partly by Takara instead of simply Hasbro. Since this is the very first toy of G1 Arcee, Takara felt it would be a disservice for it to be an update to her G1 self, which is the theme of the Generations line (and all the other “classics” lines.) So they stepped in and made her design reflect her G1 self as much as they could. That dedication and passion makes this toy extra special.
I LOVE this toy. This is one of the last great stand alone deluxes we have gotten. It’s massive in size, as intricate/complex as any Transformer toy can get (regardless of size class) without being frustrating, has plenty of smart paint apps, looks really close to the game model, has great plastic with a really fun shine to it, and was sold at a deluxe price point. It also sports an awesome looking cybertronian alt mode. I find this design so smart. Optimus wouldn’t be a truck with a trailer on Cybertron but the designers found a way to still give him an alt mode that screams Optimus yet also scream Cybertron at the same time. I love how smooth the front half of this armoured vehicle is. It is very alien and original. What I am most impressed with is how the smooth surface is actually made up of a bunch of smaller segments which fasten to one another very well to give the illusion that his armour is one uninterrupted shell. It could have been so easy for Takara’s engineers to just make him a shellformer but they instead opted to find places along his limbs to integrate his alt mode’s smooth panels. I find that incredible.
This is a perfect toy, especially for a deluxe scale. Unlike the G1 and classics toy, the designers really go out of their way to give this that extra cybertronian flare, which works since the character was on Cybertron in the show. So instead of the alt mode being a futuristic Countach, it has more of an alien look with a lot of curves and undulations replacing the sharp edges. I especially like the dashboard area which looks more like a dome atop a vehicle, thanks to the clear plastic found on every side. I really hear John Hammond saying “no expenses spared” when looking at this toy, especially from the side where I see the designers went out of their way to have details on separate pieces line up to make it seem like the exhaust pipes are running all across the back portion. That is of course in addition to the excellent paint apps, use of clear plastic, double projectile weapon, as well as ball jointed wrists and feet providing maximum articulation (a far cry from most deluxes since). The transformation is also quite ingenious, especially the bit where they store the front wheels into his chest piece to make him look just like his cartoon model (which was designed before the toy). In fact, this toy was actually used as the starting point for MP Rodimus, just to give you an idea at how highly this toy is regarded by designers.
Honourable Mentions: So many cybertronian Tanks!!!!!!!
This is a top 10 so there was enough space to mention everyone that had a simultaneously great cybertronian land vehicle mode and robot mode without resorting to any transformer doing yoga and calling that a mode. The ones that get lost in the crack are those who have great robot modes but subpar alt modes where being "cybertronian" is more of an excuse for an alt mode being the secondary focus and for some reason, it's usually tanks. The two I included are to me, the best cybertronian tanks, because they do something different and original, in their transformation and their look. The rest follow a similar formula. The legs spread out to become the treads, the arm(s) becomes the cannon(s) and the head floats around somewhere, always visible. While Revenge of the Fallen Megatron is a great example of this, there are way better toys to honour here that arent as lazily designed such as Titanium Fallen, Robots in Disguise Megatronus, Prime Shockwave and Animated Shockwave. That later toy is an engineering marvel since it has two identities where each distinct robot mode has a "distinct" alt mode. While the change from one robot mode to the next is amazing (as can be seen below), the alt modes had to remain simple. So not the greatest alt mode(s), but great robot mode(s) and a great toy to own.
Same with The Fallen. He does something pretty cool where that extra kibble in the back (with painted flames to represent the fire burning in him at all times) helps make an easy transformation where most of the robot limbs are reused but to fill in the tank with the treads adding alt mode specific detail in the outside. Both the sculpt detail and stellar deco work hand in hand giving you an impression of the Fallen burning like a furnace from within himself.
As for Prime Shockwave and Robots in Disguise Megatronus, the fact that these two tanks pretty much use the exact same parts for both modes means the tanks are super sleek while there is very little extraneous kibble in robot mode. However, it does mean that there is a lack of new detail in either mode and robot parts (especially the heads) can be seen in tank mode.
Transformers: Deviations' Subtle Indictment
(Or: I Swear This Isn't a Site Article) (Unless Va'al swoops in on Alpha Bravo and makes it so...) (Which just happened.)
Note: This article is an editorial, and as such, it reflects the views of the authors and the author alone. Much like our reviews, top lists and other articles, it is not indicative of Seibertron.com, the site owner, or the staff.
The Transformers: Deviations one-shot came out this week and I was extremely excited about this book. I love the 1986 The Transformers: The Movie with a passion, and any addition to its lore, imagery, and self-contained universe is something I jump at with fervor.
There's a reason this movie has withstood the test of time. It's likely most accurate to say that there are a multitude of extremely good reasons this has happened and not just one on its own. From the iconic music (whether or not you enjoy it ironically being outside the scope of things here) to the sublime voice cast to animation that put the weekly TV series to shame, this movie's lasting appeal is one of a hundred factors responsible for the brand's sustained success. Success which, it should be noted, has far surpassed a majority (though not all) of the 80s and 90s nostalgia act properties that have gone away for a time then re-emerged into current pop-culture awareness. TF:TM as I'll call it a lot from here on out was the first time the brand evolved, and it did so in the most amazing way for me.
I should really elaborate on some of those points in regards to TF:TM a bit more. First, to get it out of the way since I've already brought it up perhaps somewhat pointlessly, the music in TF:TM is a time capsule of everything 80s movie soundtracks did, for better or worse. This helps give the movie some lasting appeal. Since the ultimate point of this article is about a comic book which inherently doesn't get a musical element, that's all that will be said about that.
The voice cast for the original movie was comprised of a great mix of the talents from the Sunbow cartoon, interspersed with Hollywood stars such as Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Idle, Orson Welles, and even the pop-culture star John Moschitta - the "Micro Machines Guy". Some could say it's odd to bring this up when setting the frame for why a comic disappointed me, and there's some merit to that. This said, the "voice" of a comic is found through elements such as the art, coloring, scripting, and even the letters. More on this later.
Same goes for the animation of TF:TM and the merits of bringing that up as a comparison element in this writing. While a comic is by the very nature of its own medium a static entity in visual presentation, recent works have set the bar extremely high for pencil, ink, flat, and coloring work, with outliers in quality usually relating more to stylistic choice rather than, well, any perceived quality.
Hopefully this has so far established the level on which I revere 1986's Transformers movie. If it didn't, hopefully that "revere" word tells you what the last few paragraphs may not have. I really, truly consider TF:TM to be that era's magnum opus for Transformers material, as it hits almost every beat in perfect harmony with what you'd expect out of Transformers while being simultaneously fun, scary, tragic, celebratory, uplifting, depressing, piquing, and imaginative.
Given this, works that have come out over the years which have expanded on or had fun with TF:TM have been both welcome and fantastic. We've had DVD commentaries expand greatly on the production and decisions made through out it. We've had the amazing material unearthed and preserved by Paul Hitchens, whose YouTube channel is the gift that keeps on giving. Then there was the 20th Anniversary's retelling of the movie from IDW Publishing. While more or less faithful to the original work, this gave us something extremely cool: a two-page spread showing Omega Supreme, Superion, and Defensor defending The Ark from a Decepticon attack staged by Menasor and Bruticus. Retcons can be dubious, but this one was quick, effective, and satisfying.
It hasn't all been perfect either. Let's not forget the "Battle in Space" toy pack-in comic from 6 years ago, which had additional canonical material involving Tracks, Grapple, and Warpath, and while that wasn't the best in production either it's also not something anyone wanted me to spend extra money on. The set cost the same as two deluxe toys did at the time anyway, and now I can imagine that those guys had something going on during all that. Autocracy also did some fun stuff with the iconic Optimus v. Megatron battle, though that was more homage (in fact) and Flint Dille apologizing (in tone) than anything else. Even then, that was also only dedicated to a few pages of a work that was setting out to accomplish something completely different.
I could keep listing examples of works inspired in ways good and bad by TF:TM for eons, but that's not what this is for. Suffice it to say that if you need any objective measure of its impact, look no further than the amount of times Transformers fiction will trot out lines such as "One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall."
This all leads us to the announcement of Transformers: Deviations. Part of a series of one-shot comics for various properties for which IDW has licensing rights, the Transformers iteration of this little side non-canon "What If?" series was going to deal with The Transformers: The Movie and the pivotal battle between eternal rivals Optimus Prime and Megatron. As anyone reading this site is surely aware, Megatron not only defeats Optimus Prime, but kills him, albeit not right there on the spot. Optimus survives on an operating table long enough to pass the Autobot Matrix of Leadership on to Ultra Magnus. All the while, Hot Rod, the Autobot that many Transformers fans "blame" for Optimus' death just because he failed at run-in interference during that fateful battle, stands by observing.
The rest, is silence. Er, the rest is history. Sorry, Beast Wars Anniversary and all that on the brain.
Deviations' premise is set to have fun with history and imagine what would have happened had Optimus Prime lived through this encounter. This is immediately where disappointment started to creep in upon publication of the book's standard preview pages released online in advance of its print publication today. The most predictable thing to do is to say "well, guess Optimus would have killed Megatron if he hadn't died himself, right?" That's ok though, predictable stories can still be entertaining and there's still a whole world of interesting paths to take beyond that with the rest of the movie's material. Still, from the outset the book pigeonholes itself into path B leading to path C, when instead path B could have lead to paths D, E, F, G, 42, Z, Primax 1023.1 Alpha - really anything at all.
If you can't tell, my biggest gripe with this book is the story. I'll come back to it to wrap things up, but let's get the production elements out of the way.
The colors, letters, and in fact most all of the art is fantastically done and lives up to the legacy of TFTM to which it will be compared. These parts of the book's "voice" are, generally, very good. The disappointment sets in with a handful of pages/panels where the pencils and inks are just not the quality one would expect from a real talent like Tramontano. The inconsistency is even more glaring when I think about how really, truly beautifully done some other parts of this comic are. If this is due to deadlines happening then I can forgive.
Let's pause to consider some of the worst offenders in inconsistent style such as:
Leaving off Astrotrain's wing upon takeoff on Page 6
Ultra Magnus' downright weird looking glare on Page 7
The entirety of pages 20 and 21
The downright goofy looking Rodimus Prime in the last two panels of the book
If these were stylistic choices, then in my opinion they were poor ones. I could find more, but again, the production of the book outside of plot/story and dialogue really aren't the big issues that led to my disappointment.
It's the story. It's the characterization. Deviations stopped being a fun "what if" and turned into the worst kind of parody, and it did so in one glaring moment: the first time Ultra Magnus speaks. This is where the voice of the comic got overridden despite many of its other elements being sound. The message behind the voice wasn't of reverence, it wasn't of disregard for one factor (big as it may be) of the original story, it was one of bitter disregard for what had otherwise followed Optimus' death in TF:TM.
If you're going to change an existing story based on one element, in this case Optimus Prime and Megatron's fates being swapped, and then choose to start things out en medias res then you better approach the setting of the rest ceteris paribus. Or at the very least, honor the little bit that came before that was not re-written. Magnus' first words to Hot Rod felt wrong. Off. They just weren't a thing this Ultra Magnus would say. Would Kup? Yes, so why didn't he?
Changing gears to paint my disappointment another way, I'll admit, I really did enjoy Megascream. I really wanted to like this book and I really tried to have fun with it. I kept trying to have fun with it when the Dinobots pre-emptively attacked the Sharkticons, or when the Decepticons combined just like Trailcutter told us they would for no reason, or when Unicron just sort of snacked on dead Decepticons such as Thundercracker and Skywarp instead of reformatting them.
Yet this is where the disappointment mounted and the book started to spiral into a bad place for me. For every Megascream there was cringeworthy dialogue meant to evoke TF:TM that instead bastardized the original intent of the words. For every Dinobot attack there was the underlying pointlessness of their presence on Quintessa and a potentially super fascinating storyline with Kranix of Lithone (which couldn't even get spelled correctly - and it was done twice so tell the wiki folks to put that one under "errors") that was dropped like a hot potato. For every Decepticon combiner there was confusing scene building accompanied with overly busy layouts. What Moon Base got eaten? One? I think? For every Unicron snack, there was the realization that this "What if" was not a well-informed, "pick up the ball and run with it" dream engagement for the author, it was an indictment on the movie I love so dearly.
"Indictment" is a rather strong word, and maybe it isn't the right one since I don't think there was any ill intent, but that's really how it came across to me emotionally. Clever dialogue turned shallow. Alien worlds humming with the otherworldly imaginings of Floro Dery instead used as mere set pieces for your Action To Come After These Messages. Fascinating, fun new characters like Springer and Arcee thrown into the Planet Junkion in a flaming, doomed Autobot shuttle, barely to be mourned. At least they got to show up at all, and at least then without having their characters assassinated.
That's the other part where I felt like this book was an indictment of its forebear: the complete and gratuitous character assassination of Hot Rod.
If you didn't like Hot Rod as a kid, I understand. If you don't like him now, I understand. Hell, my wife doesn't like Hot Rod. "Hot Rod's a punk bitch" is probably what she'd tell you, or something to that effect. All the same, the best versions of Hot Rod through the years all make you "love him or hate him" but they keep one factor pretty consistent: he's competent and brave. While Deviations hits the brave factor, it does so while putting Hot Rod into the part of The Fool. The Hot Rod one should expect here is the one that yes, indeed, shot at the attacked shuttle carrying the Decepticons into Autobot City, but that Hot Rod knew what he was shooting at. That Hot Rod had a plan when trying to help Optimus while he fought Megatron, even if it backfired. That Hot Rod had a semblance of leadership skills, and could bank a shuttle into a safe crash onto Quintessa then regroup and find his friends, "And then save Cybertron!"
This Hot Rod insults fallen comrades, makes shuttle damage worse to the point where the thing explodes, has to be told to get Daniel to safety, then runs in and saves the day at the last minute by a stroke of luck and not of guts and will like the Hot Rod that defeats Galvatron within Unicron's innards. Then he dies so he can personally redeem his earlier failure, because he's so incompetent this time that he can't escape? What even happened there?
At the end of my reading of the book, I felt the tinge that every geek like me into any Sci-Fi property does from time to time of what's colloquially known as "nerd rage". I had to take a few hours to calm down from this to collect my thoughts on what exactly I didn't like, because I could certainly "nerd rage" for hours and not do anyone any good in the process.
But after some days of processing it and then re-reading my paper copy today, I was able to distill my disappointment and find its source. The author of this book was well intended, and was clearly just trying to have fun, but ultimately penned an indictment on one of the Transformers franchise's most important works. If you're going to just have fun, go hire Tom Scioli to do the art and go absolutely crazy, then I can follow the intention. The accompanying poor dialogue choices, inconsistent art, and sometimes positively confusing scene building makes this a book I won't look back fondly on, rebuy three times, and pine for years for more like Last Stand of the Wreckers, it makes it something I'll file away and never read again like Continuum.
There's a certain subset of Transformers fans that will love this book. Some of them are on this site, hell even in this very thread. Enjoy it. This is your G1, the version that basically doesn't exist after early 1986. This book is for you and this post is my last word on it, because no one likes a hater.
But for me? I enjoy the rich history of all soon-to-be 32 years of The Transformers. Ups and downs alike, I can find something to enjoy. I found some things to enjoy in this book that I never want to read again! While I can appreciate the idea of Deviations, the execution of the book left me so bitterly disappointed that it led to a realization. That is this: the creative team behind The Transformers: The Movie all those years ago realized that the brand had to evolve or die. Optimus dying wasn't a choice, it was a necessity. Since it's NCAA Tournament season, we'll say the franchise had to "Survive and Advance". IDW has helped some of our favorite Generation One characters survive, by advancing and evolving the narrative scope and quality of their ongoing books. Deviations is an indictment on this progress as well, and looking on social media, the loud corner that wants "G1 back", despite it being here all along, often twice a month for the past decade, wants you to go buy this book in triplicate so you can vote with your dollars.
Do that if you want, but also realize the subtle indictment it implies.
Filling in for Dr. Va'al--news crew and admins have been working very, very hard to get everything back to speed--is me, the old review guy. Here's my take on the 'How can I follow up issue #50?' follow up issue, Transformers #51. *Cracks knuckles* Here we go! Sorry, it's a little tongue and cheek... Va'al will be back.
THE STORY SO FAR…
Last issue dropped the literal and figurative bomb that we’ve been waiting for. Optimus Prime is freeing Earth from itself. Actually it’s a bit more along the lines of trying to repair the damage that the Cybertronian war has done to the planet, and at the same time, to give the Earth and its people a volun-told invite to being a part of the Galactic community, establishing a new presence on Earth. Details to be determined. It seemed like a good idea, right?
Sure you are big guy...
And to no one’s surprise, the puny earthlings still don’t like being told what to do. WE RULE!
TUNE IN FOR!
Excitement abounds as the most important thing to know from this issue is that Superion separates and we have not just an Alpha Bravo sighting, but actual dialogue! Dr. Va’al is pleased, right?
I AM faster than a speeding bul... guess not.
SOME OTHER IMPORTANT HAPPENINGS
The continuation of the Autobot presence on Earth is our main story point (although Alpha Bravo) and how ‘we the people’ react. The response by Earth’s governments has not been to reach out with the olive branch and doves and welcome with man hugs and high fives.
But the Autobots will not let Optimus’ vision fail. For some reason they love to follow the big galoot… Trying to show the people of Earth that they are not here to just take over, the Autobots head out to do many things of good and right many wrongs despite danger to themselves-- taking special care to harm no one--. Good stuff, right? Sorry no, humans are like elephants…long memories, and we’ll take care of our own thanks. ‘Cause we were smart enough to befriend Decepticons, a few times, and that did not go badly at all…at least until those Autobots showed up.
We're good, we got this...
EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it!...WIFI to cure disease next!
NEW CHARACTER ALERT[/b]
Aileron, while not entirely new, has really been stepping forward to make herself known. The little Camien has done a lot of work in a little bit of time to ‘drive’ the story (and the spaceship). Giving us an outside perspective and insight to all of this, she also doesn’t quite understand it all, but that doesn’t stop her from going a little Evil Gobot Renegade Crasher and being pretty much the opposite of helpful this time. Her growth has been exponential and more than acceptable. A nice compass for ‘The Prime’.
*Clearly did not get the memo*
HUMANS HAPPEN
Why so serious?
What is up with these humans? I’m having a hard time understanding some of their actions. Faireborne’s on the Autobot’s side—- oh no, she’s not— wait she’s sticking up for them— no wait she’s shooting them… And the Earth coalition don’t/can’t/won’t see or believe the obvious message. It's like someone did something to make them mistrust all aliens and transforming robots forever. If only the humans would ever find themselves in a position to actually realize there are some robots, like people, who are good-natured, altruistic, and trustworthy... maybe some day.
I got an idea on how we can get our message across to humans...I saw it in a movie once.
CHECK IT OUT
The art is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G throughout the issue. Superb, wonderful, and a slew of other positive adjectives! Andrew Griffith really has a hold on drawing Optimus,and other bots like Victorion and Jazz.
There are examples all over the issue of beautiful, well-drawn and expressed panels of action and emotion. The robots' and vehicles' details are so well done--not extraneous, and not lacking--. The colors work flawlessly to help convey the mood and setting in every section-- despite having three different colorists working through the book, not a beat was missed--. Excellent story-telling through the art.
FINALS
I’m not sure if I've decided if it was over-the-top, or well done, but the use of many relevant real world issues for the Autobots to help resolve was interesting--and somewhat off-putting for this DETROIT-er for one particular choice of action--. I feel like we are coming back to the 'been there done this' part of the show. Autobots have been on Earth before, they have been scorned by the humans, but helped the humans despite themselves, then they have left, and come back again and helped the humans in spite of themselves, yet again. They've tried to play nice with the humans and things go south. They leave again and come back again. Clearly the destinies of Earth and Cybertronians are intertwined, but I feel like I’m starting to watch a re-run here.
A good issue that expands on Aileron a bit more, but ultimately doesn’t do much more than show that the humans still hate and mistrust the Autobots...they’ll still shoot ‘em, just like yesterday, and last week, do whatever it takes to show that humans DO NOT need Cybertronians. Prime's plan doesn't seem like much of one yet...maybe he needs to spend more time on the re-charge slab to get some more guidance from his dreams. More like, I need to be patient and let the story develop.
4 out of 5 (the art!)
Mr. Tigertrack, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Synopsis
THE DYING OF THE LIGHT—PART 1! Since joining the Lost Light, MEGATRON has rejected everything that once made him the most feared and hated Cybertronian of all time. But penitence has a price, and before the ex-Decepticon can find true redemption he must first confront his darkest legacy—the Decepticon Justice Division.
Leeeegacy
Story
I said this already in the counterpart review to this one, for The Transformers #50, how impressively impressive it actually is to see both the ongoings to have reached such an impressive milestone. Two very different titles, with MTMTE being the space opera-turned-sitcom-turned-horror-turned-sadgayrobots - and all, ultimately and listed in order in the Previously section, building up to this point. Right here. Now.
Sneaking up to it
James Roberts has been seeding the presence of the DJD and Tarn's discontent with Megatron's change of heart for a while now, if not since their very first introduction. We have also had a number of other plotlines weaving in and out of the main arc, and they all appear to feature, in one way or another, in here. Seeds seeded aplenty, and the DJD is not the only discontent to show up in the wider MTMTEverse.
Cameos abound
If it looks like I'm stalling here, it's because I am, a little. There isn't much I can really say about the book without ruining at least a number of reading experiences for someone, so I'm keeping comments to the comments - that said, what was to be expected does happen, but not as soon as one might initially think. Roberts fuels a slow fire. A slow, painful fire.
With some funny bits, of course
The weaving is one the key features here, and how the characters have interacted with each other up to this point, and how they will clash, merge, unite or fight when the pressure is applied - as it does in issue #50: positions are taken, roles are assigned, dynamics shift dramatically, and it does so in a turbulent and terrifying fashion, before inevitability and acceptance set in. For some.
Art
The art duties on the bulk of the story are by regular co-cospirator Alex Milne, with an assist from Brian Shearer on inks. And if ever we had emotion shown under faceplates and optic visors, this is even more the case. The multiple colourist team, of course, helps to bring Milne's vision to vibrant life, even in the darkness of the latter stages of the story - Joana Lafuente, Priscilla Tramontano, John-Paul Bove did some stellarly blending and combined work on those pages, with some particularly amazing splash pages.
Plus this.. er.. guy
The tail-end story 'No Guns, No Swords, No Briefcases' addition sees some sparkwrenching work from other regular artist Brendan Cahill, delving into some backgrounds of characters we have and haven't seen in a long time in the series, and showing yet more emotion where a small breather was needed. All topped by some warmly executed colouring by Joana Lafuente.
..more like guidelines
Where the humour and visual cues of the lighter side really show up is, once again, through the font magic of Tom B. Long's lettering work. Scenes like the below, the excellent title page, the various captions, the highlights he brings to the overall work with the small space he's given - it's always a stunning effect.
Visual game is strong
With an issue this big, and as important as it, the various number of covers is to be expected, and anticipated. The main cover by Alex Milne and Joana Lafuente sets the tone for the entire story, and upcoming arc, while James Biggie, Mike Choi, and even Casey Coller and Hayato Sakamoto, with Yamaishi on colours, take on the catalyst of the story: Megatron. We also finally get the final piece in the six-parter by Milne and Perez, and a variant (thumbnailed) by Nick Roche and Josh Burcham showcasing the main cast of the issue.
Thoughts Spoilerish ahead
The split in stories, in paths, in narrative arcs seems to be working on a number of levels - from the temporal rest and background build-up of the later part to the building cliffhanger of the first, via the multiple seedings of current and potentially future storylines, and reconnecting of the publication with its earlier and preceding iterations. It works, but it will work much better in the longer run. Roberts is also able to stop the humour, welcome throughout where used, before the more serious part, avoiding some emotional whiplash that would really have jarred otherwise.
Ruh-roh
The entirety of the issue, in all its aspects and angles, is to be lauded. The editorial and creative teams have brought so much of their game, that some minor glitches were to be expected - and yet did not occur at any stage. Visually, this is a great book to look at, with some creative layouts and structure, which perhaps loses itself in the format of the single issue and the ambition of the writing. It's very, very good though. Very.
As we get closer to BotCon 2016, and with the IDW/FunPub collaboration on this year's comic - Dawn of the Predacus - recently confirmed, we thought we'd reach out to one of the creators behind it, to get a little further into the process and the story: colourist turned writer, and fellow partial Italian, John-Paul Bove!
--
Va'al - Hi John-Paul! It's great to hear you'll be working on the insides of another Transformers comic, though this time you're actually at a keyboard rather than with a palette! How did you get the gig?
JP - The short answer? Lots and LOTS of death threats.
Probably how the talks went down at IDW
The longer answer is that outside of Transformers and IDW I had been writing for some time on creator owned stories and writing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here in the UK. I had been pitching some ideas for Transformers stories for some years, but with the amazing IDWverse books they're planned a long way in advance so there's not much space for any additional tales in there. I'd nailed my colours to the mast regarding working on a G1 cartoon continuation comic and I'd also approached IDW with an idea for a Beast Wars book to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Interestingly these two ideas had the potential to dovetail together and connect if necessary. When FunPub looked to partner with IDW to produce the comic, John approached me to pitch and the rest is (future) history!
Va'al - Perseverance seems to be the way to go, then - a tip to keep in mind. So when Barber approached you, did you get a guideline or directive, or were you given free rein as to what the story might do (other than include this year's toys, of course)?
JP - My main guideline was that it had to be in continuity (which any BW fan will know is an interesting and muddy one) and it had to feature the toys. I had already pitched a mini series that would bridge the gap between G1 and Beast Wars so the story was always going to live in that time frame. A lot of the characters that the toys represent were already baked into the story so the main challenge or restriction was getting as much of what I planned into just one issue. I had to take my original outline and focus in on a very specific part and specific time and place from it.
It is a very full issue and the goals I set myself were that it should be a Beast Wars and G1 story that matters, with moments that shape and add to your understanding of the mythology in ways that are both inevitable AND surprising. I really wanted to see what some G1 characters had become and what some Beast Wars characters were like before they had become the characters we knew.
If I ever get the chance to expand on this it has been built in such a way that it is the middle part of a trilogy. The first part would be very G1 centric and the third part more BW centric with this issue functioning as a bridge. There's a really, really incredible moment, a scene between two important characters that I would love to one day tell. What starts Dawn of the Predacus off is the consequences of an act of sacrifice that make the Great War anyone's to win or lose.
DotP is a complete one shot but we know it isn't the end, we know some of these characters continue into BW and we know that some G1 characters don't make it through the Great War. There's still a lot of time between here and the Beast Wars (and here and The Rebirth) that I had planned out and hope to one day tell you all about.
Va'al - That sounds like you really planned the events out quite a lot already before getting the brief, definitely! You mention a number of characters that you wanted to include: was anyone forcibly or inevitably left out?
JP - Oh yeah, I'd been planning these stories out a long time before the opportunity came up. I can't say too much as there are still other characters getting toys to be revealed, but there's a lot of G1 characters I wanted to touch on. Again, if the book does well maybe we will see them yet! Mainly there are characters I'd like to have had more time to play with, especially Tarantulas.
Va'al - We are seeing a very different Tarantulas in IDW's version of events, of course, but that's another story... So we are to find something bridging a gap, which feeds from established work and feeding into other established work - what was the hardest part to tweak to make it all work, in your opinion?
JP - I'm a continuity junkie so finding the connections between various points on the timeline was something that came quite naturally. The hardest part was deciding what to leave out as the space I had was limited. I wanted to avoid multiple timelines and realities, and have what happens here to inform and have impact on the stories we're already familiar with. Just because we know the war ends doesn't mean we know HOW the war ends.
Though the big challenge was that the Beast Wars show referenced points from various continuities that contradict each other. Making sure that that this story was in continuity with as much of those other stories as possible was tricky, but hopefully rewarding for most fans.
Va'al - I do not envy you that task, at all. Was there anything you were particularly pleased to have been able to work in, either as an in-joke, a reference, or just a personal itch scratched?
JP - There is a Transformers the Movie nod which was so satisfying... I think, beyond getting to give characters I adore new words to say and new characters some life, my main satisfaction comes from setting the foundation for things in Beast Wars that were perhaps not best explained and seeing how their origins stem from G1 events... It adds another layer to stories we already know.
Va'al - I'm sure we'll be seeing it for ourselves very shortly, at this stage! Before we round this off, how was collaborating with someone else on the visuals, this time round? How was the experience of working with Corin Howell?
Not the BotCon comic
JP - I'd worked with Corin before on a couple of pages but I'd also had the good fortune to meet her at last year's San Diego Comic Con. Her style is very different from what I'd worked with in the past, a more expressive, more animated look which in a way captures two aspects of both G1 and Beast Wars. As a colourist it gives you a lot to play with as well. Of course she has the misfortune to deal with me as a writer and a colourist! Who can she complain to about the demanding writer or the unreliable colourist!?
Va'al - She'll be up to the challenge, I'm sure. JP, it's been great to have you have this chat with us to build up some extra hype for the comic and BotCon - thank you for joining us! Are there any last words you want to throw out to readers and fans?
JP - Only that I hope everyone has a great BotCon, the guests are amazing, the artists are amazing and the toys (some still very secret) are going to knock your socks off! I hope people enjoy the book too, naturally! And if you do please spread the word, there's so much more story to tell! Thanks to everyone that has supported me and the books I've coloured and really pushed to have me write something in the Transformers universe, it's a dream come true.
Oh, and don't forget to sign the petition for a G1 Cartoon universe comic!
--
BotCon 2016 will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 7-10th. You can check out news and coverage of the event, as things happen, right here on Seibertron.com, and join in the discussion in the Energon Pub boards!
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Most Indistinguishable Alt Modes Among Transformers Toys
This list is about the transformers who's alt modes you can't make heads or tails of, and quite literally for one of them. While these are not definitely terrible toys (ok, a few of these entries are), their alt modes just don’t inspire anything cohesive whatsoever. They just seem like an afterthought, as if a robot mode was given and then torn apart and glued together in a mishmashed way to give a cybertronian “something”. While designs of Cybertronian vehicles can yield amazing results, these are the flip side.
What kind of bird is this supposed to be? It's much less a "condor" than it is Silverbolt doing a handstand. This is one of the laziest alt modes I have ever seen.
Told you guys you'd see him soon! I get that the creators didn't want to give Prime Megatron am earth based mode due to his disgust for the planet (still not a tactically sound plan). But you could at least give us something that looks like a space ship. I really dislike how his alt mode looks like what would happen if I left him in my huge jean pockets and then washed them and dried them. While he has a great robot mode that homages many of his predecessors in the Transformers Legacy, his “cybertronian jet with a face sticking out” looks more of an afterthought as to what can be made with the robot mode. And yet he still ends up with back kibble in robot mode, why ?! How?! (the cyberverse version didn't have any). But at least it means that “some” parts are for the alt mode.
Both of these are lazy half assed “cybertronian” flying vehicles from the live action movies. They are not as terrible as another cybertronian vehicle below, but that is only because I can kinda tell which direction they are supposed to be facing. They still both look like the robot mode doing some freaky yoga poses.
Easily the worst animated figure and while it is not completely because of the alt mode, the fact that you can't tell if its facing front or back and that it isn't even accurate to the show doesn't help at all. If you want more info on this terrible toy, I welcome you to visit the Top 10 Worst Transformers Toys of All Time list.
When someone first told me what he turned into, he said it was a pile of random junk. I thought he was joking. He wasn’t. What is this? WHAT IS THIS?????????????? I was eventually told it was a trailer. However, I am not blind, I can see very well that this is not anything close to a trailer. It is just the robot limbs rearranged to take less space, and that is all it is.
Honourable mentions: I wasn't sure if he would count or not but Arms Micron Gaia Unicron is definitely worth mentioning here.
People were wondering what this thing was, especially when looking at it at this angle:
And yeah, it totally fits the bill of being a mishmash of parts trying to get away with a semblance of a "cybertronian" alt mode. But there is more effort put into it than the other yoga transformers, like those movie ones mentioned earlier. As you will notice above, there is a face carved into it. In the Prime show, Unicron was shown as the foundation for Planet Earth and he would like to pop in as part of the earth's rock to say hello, like this:
So this alt mode, while very odd, does have something to do with the show since it is an interpretation of Unicron's face found in the elements of earth, hence the name Gaia Unicron.
But it not coming across as that does indeed make it a failure.
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!”
-Rocky Balboa-
"Yo Jo...Adrianne!!!!!!"
Story so far:
Earth is gone. The last remnants of humanity- the G.I.Joe team- joins forces with the heroic Autobots to battle Earth’s destroyers- the Decepti-Cobra alliance. Whatever hope remains races from the center of Cybertron- into an uncertain future!
Recap:
Deceptions starting to eat humans as a delicacy, the planet Cybertron coming alive, and the Earth is gone… this shift just got real, and it’s about to get realer (well next issue, maybe).
Spoiler free review (try anyway):
It’s time for a BRO-mance. Bro-hugs around. Brobots before Deceptifoes!
Get to the chopper!
Sadly, this issue is very, very JOE-centric (sad to the TRANSFORMERS FAN anyway). The meat of the story is about DUKE and his relationship with his brother (step), one Lt. Falcon. DUKE leads the next generation of greenies through the Joe’s Decepticon stomping boot camp, told in a flashback—which writer Scioli states he was not going to have in his stories, and yes, he admitted to breaking his own rule- and his little brother is recipient numero uno of all of his angst, fear, frustration and love. The growth of their relationship, the motivations, and some heavy realizations make this possibly resonate with those with a sibling or two that they have either tried to live up to their older sib’s accomplishments, or tried to teach the younger sib the ways of the world along with a heaping dose of humility. DUKE meet FALCON. FALCON…DUKE.
(MISSED OPPORTUNITIES: Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Topspin, Twintwist, or Tracks and Needlenose- none to be seen though-.)
Part ‘Rocky’, part ‘Patton’, part ‘Stripes’, we see Scioli once again shine in the writing and art as he takes a break from homaging his favorite comic artists and writers to now pay tribute to some of his favorite inspirational war/combat related movies. The only problem is, unless you’re big fan of those things, you don’t really catch the subtleties until you read his recap of the the pages at the end (a welcome piece to the experience, as always).
This gag never gets old...and you thought they called him Cutter because he was in the Coast Guard! Ha hah.
And as I mentioned, Transformers fans may be bored for about 10 of the middle pages or so ‘cause it’s all JOE and mainly DUKE (and I loathe the Duke character, even though I'm a big fan of Michael Bell's Prowl). But the beginning (as seen in the preview pages) and most certainly the events happening in the end involving both franchises, continues the epic NOW BECOMING COSMIC implications of Megatron’s ambitious desires… And I’m not sure where it will all head…seriously.
Nightmare inducing.
Where are we going next?
Rating:
I give this issue a pretty average rating. It’s an issue that slows down a bit from what’s been happening lately, focuses mainly into one or two Joe characters, and the story progression…well, it makes it look like the next issue is going to be HUGE anyway! I’ve never been a huge DUKE fan, but I do love me some obstacle course action!
"Dunk this, Big Lob!--Meowwwwrr!!!!"
There are always great easter eggs here and there for both the Transformers fans and G.I.Joe fans to enjoy, and for those who know the G.I.Joe movie, and the squad of guys that Lt. Falcon was training with in it, you’ll have some fun. It’s nice to see Springer, becoming a part of the story. His alt mode is something between fan-favorite helicopter the Tomahawk, and Springer’s Cybertronian helicopter mode.
The series still feels like something I wanted to cook up as a kid and a fan--with much more thought put into it-- and that’s why I’m still reading it. I also really like reading what Scioli thinks and does in his creation of each story.
*I really wish Colonel Flagg would lose the VERY slouched cap, though. Please.*
Hmmm...
out of
This picture of Quarrel reminds me of some portrait of a female before, I just can't place it.
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out of 5 
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