Transformers Ongoing #11 - Five Page Preview

Rampage.

The dialogue is once again drawn out over way too many pages, making the comic incredibly decompressed and far too much of a quick read at $ 3.99. But I feel the need to say something positive for once, so here it goes: the artwork by Guido here is perfect, in my opinion. Even Don's cover looks very good.

Awww, Thundercracker just wants to retire and watch TV all day. Sounds like my grandfather.

Also, where did he get a wall full of flatscreens?

What's going on with the artwork. All consistency has gone out the window. I hate the faces. Ifthey are going to have some maluable liquid type face why is it just used on the face and why are mor primitive type joints and such used elsewhere. I wasn't a fan of the previous faces but they seemed more beleivable. If they were gonna go back to this style, they should of at least put some slits and grooves in. The lips are way to fleshy. I'm g1 all the way, but this is where I feel G1 was wrong. It's been an unsolved problem now ffor a long time. Megatrons form has been up for discussion and is somewhat resolvbed, sondwave is still trying to be some sort of thing weather it be a van or a computer with speakers, still not working for me, I'm not just talking about comice here I'm talking about the whole franchise.
I really think this there from the future so they can have liquid metal faces, is just a cop out. The puppet stylye mouth teamed wih some other sliding panels and yes maybe some input from michaels bays style formers [as much as I hate the movie, they didn't use liquid metal faces and kepot a mechanical look]. I really feel consistency is important, and seeing a Transformer comic which is meant to be the major seriesrunning at the moment, used to experiment with a bit direpectful to the fans and the line. It must be very confusing for newbies to work out who' who and what's going on, I'm confused myself.
Everythime I feel to get back into reading comics, I'm put off by all the sub series springing out, and lost in storylines spread over all the sub series, and more often than not the story is canceled or ended abrubtly, with a new story which ignores everything that has gone before it. Maybe it's just me, but I find it so hard to work out what actualy is going on, would it be so hard to have the next part of the story to be the next issue [I'm talking about previous stories, I know this is probally irelevant at present].
One things for sure, I'm glad that g1 is still the blood pumping through the franchises veins, I just wish that everything had been ironed out by now, but I suppose thats what makes transformers so interesteing.

MYoung23 wrote:Also, where did he get a wall full of flatscreens?

Found them, bought them, built them, STOLE them (he is a decepticon), or maybe he just talked to swindel sometime between isue 4-6

DTR69 wrote:What's going on with the artwork. All consistency has gone out the window.

While I agree that IDW needs to find a single, consistent art form and stick with it, I definitely think that the artwork illustrated by this preview is a great improvement over the first 5-6 issues which is depicted in the second (incentive) cover shown above. I find this type of artwork and its attempt to seemingly mirror the TF forms of the Bay movies to be even more a detractor from the classic G1 TF forms we have all come to love. At least with the artwork in the preview we can tell the TFs apart -- if you look at the incentive cover, the face looks like that of Rodimus Prime as well as all of the other TFs, thus making the story even more confusing for both current and new readers since every TF looks the same!

I have said it before and I will say it again -- I hope IDW drops the Bay-esque style artwork and adopts a more classic TF art format which is seen in the above preview. While not perfect, I think that the artwork in the preview might be a step in the right direction.


- Bob

The 4.-5. page can be disturbing...

Please, somebody shoot Costa.

While I agree that IDW needs to find a single, consistent art form and stick with it, I definitely think that the artwork illustrated by this preview is a great improvement over the first 5-6 issues which is depicted in the second (incentive) cover shown above. I find this type of artwork and its attempt to seemingly mirror the TF forms of the Bay movies to be even more a detractor from the classic G1 TF forms we have all come to love. At least with the artwork in the preview we can tell the TFs apart -- if you look at the incentive cover, the face looks like that of Rodimus Prime as well as all of the other TFs, thus making the story even more confusing for both current and new readers since every TF looks the same!

I have said it before and I will say it again -- I hope IDW drops the Bay-esque style artwork and adopts a more classic TF art format which is seen in the above preview. While not perfect, I think that the artwork in the preview might be a step in the right direction.


- Bob

This was due to editor Andy Schmidt giving the artists free reign when it comes to the designs. For Guido Guidi this ment drawing in the Sunbow cartoon style using Floro Dery models. And that's exactly why he's my favourite artist
Unfortunately, because of all the criticism by fans, Andy has now decided that there should be one single design philosophy. And, obviously, he decided on the wrong philosophy, IMO. Guido was told to adopt the head design for Optimus as dictated by Don, which ment that Optimus went from looking beautifully cartoon acurate in All Hail Megatron, to what we have seen in the latest issues (a G1 body with a weird head stuck onto it). And after these couple of issues all artists are required to use Don's designs.

Bobton03 wrote:

DTR69 wrote:What's going on with the artwork. All consistency has gone out the window.

While I agree that IDW needs to find a single, consistent art form and stick with it, I definitely think that the artwork illustrated by this preview is a great improvement over the first 5-6 issues which is depicted in the second (incentive) cover shown above. I find this type of artwork and its attempt to seemingly mirror the TF forms of the Bay movies to be even more a detractor from the classic G1 TF forms we have all come to love. At least with the artwork in the preview we can tell the TFs apart -- if you look at the incentive cover, the face looks like that of Rodimus Prime as well as all of the other TFs, thus making the story even more confusing for both current and new readers since every TF looks the same!

I have said it before and I will say it again -- I hope IDW drops the Bay-esque style artwork and adopts a more classic TF art format which is seen in the above preview. While not perfect, I think that the artwork in the preview might be a step in the right direction.


- Bob

I hear what yu and everyone is saying, and the points that I disagree with aren't what I feel are right either. I find myself using examples which I hate. I never thought I would use a Bay former to back up my point. I just have to say that I hope that the attempt made that is now beeing covered up will not be in vein, and that some good from it will emerge later. It was executed wrong but the motivation behnd it was right.
Alot of ou are now happy, and yes I can see why. Fleshy features have always bothered me, more so when they use human hands, [more of an 80s things] but a mechanical looking face I feel is more appropiate. And everyones argument for g1 not working on the big screen has kind of been proven to be faulse. As even if it wa to look like a blown up cartoon, a more tailored version, which is still very g1 but updated. G1 designs aren't limited by how they were restricted by technology years ago. When the next big project comes along I'd rather them use the modern interpretation of G1, rather than having to reinvent it liek Michael Bay did.
It's great they have finaly decided to all use a set out set of rules. All ongoing series from the simpsons etc do. But they are gradualy honed and refined, even today. BUt with transformers it seems they haven't thought it through and have had to iron out a mess and have just bowed down to public demand, rather than come up with an inovative solution, which we all know they are capable of and what we have seen glimpses off already. As it is it isn't Hasbro or Takara that are evolving the designs of modern Transformers, it's all the other media companies and illegal third parties, who out of pure love have delivered what we want and more. Hasbro and Takara have had to take all this on board, and while they deliver sub par products liek power core combiners, third parties are delivering mp Devastators, add on kits which are what should have been, and a rodimus prime which technically docks with a trailer rather than goiung into a pretender like shell. I spend more money on theird party stuff both illegal and legal than hasbro or takara. If takara were to put a stop to it they would be making a mistake as becuae of these third parties I buy Takara products I otherwise wouldn't of bothered with until others improved on it.
Anyways what I am saying is, that this will inevatibly influence what comes out of the TF franchise, I just wish that a better solution had been agreed on, with games and so much other animated media still to come, these are the guys people look to, and they are still using the old syle fleshy faces, when a compramise of a more mechanical look was almost there, even the WFC game was in that direction, but this looks like the android in red dwarf. STill great artwork, I'm still greatfull we have even this, I just know they can do better. [Well done if you got this far lol]

okay that new seeker design needs to be made into a toy stat

Sky-Quake wrote:okay that new seeker design needs to be made into a toy stat

That would be hot!

Blurrz wrote:Ongoing Seekers can go suck a nut, the War For Cybertron seekers need to be numero uno on the list.

Right on, I need some seekers in my collection

Preview looks like this will be another passable issue. A kinda fun read maybe. The last issue was more enjoyable than the previous ones, but I want these to go from fluffy and enjoyable to a real meaty and juicy story. I'm digging the art though. I have no problems with artists using different styles for the faces and such as long as the bots' designs stay consistent. I really dig Guido's style here.

[edit] Just noticed on the bottom of page 5 it looks like TC has 3 rows of teeth lol! I think it's maybe just missing a color or something

Off topic, but without defending IDW miss mash of art styles, in Marve (at least waaaaaaay back in the 80's) John Byrne made some explanation that various interplanetary species view Galactus depending on how they perceive him. So this can be made into a plausible explanation....only more hokey that is hehehe