IDW Transformers:Infiltration #1 Review (SPOILERS)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:08 am

Got the Runamuck/Runabout cover and the Bumblebee cover. They both harken back to the Marvel UK and US style of covers, which I like.

Let's start with the good points. The purpose of an introductory issue is to set the tone of the story and develop the characters. It does that, mostly with the human cast. Su's pencilling is good at telling the story, and overall the artwork is good. In the Figueroa era, this says a lot. Finally, there is ample comedic relief with the Arnold automaton. Well done.

Now to the criticisms. Let me say that though my criticisms may come across as harsh, I'm not basing a real opinion of this series on a single issue so early in the game. After the first arc, then we can start talking about whether IDW delivers or not. But we have to give them a chance to strut their stuff.

Now, on to the criticisms. Firstly, I really couldn't tell a difference in this first issue from issue #0. When you pick up this issue, you hope that in some way it separates itself from #0 or at least moves the story along more. It really is more of the same of #0, that is, setting up the human cast with a few TF battles involving Ratchet thrown in. I mean, what more do we learn? Nothing really, just the things we knew in #0, that is, Verity is a runaway who stole a computer, Hunter is convinced there are extravehicular beings, the Battlechargers are after Ratchet because of that stolen computer, and Thundercracker is there too. Now how is this different from #0? It's not.

Not that this sort of reinforcement is necessarily bad. I can be patient. Problem is, much of the Transformers fandom isn't, and I'm sure they would have hoped for something more than just #0 over again. Fans of Marvel and Dreamwave, like myself, will have to develop a little more patience with this kind of pacing.

Overall, it's not bad and I would give it a B-. Remember, Marvel #1 started off in a similar fashion with Buster and Bumblebee, and Dreamwave's first issue didn't have a single fist thrown or laser fired. Take Chris's word for it, things are going to heat up in issue #2. We're not dealing with Pat Lee here. Chris and IDW haven't lied to us before, and I don't think they will now. I have faith in IDW.

Looking forward to #2 and the faster pace of things.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:28 am

Liked it. I'm caught up in the story and characters and am looking forward to the next one. I feel it has moved on sufficiently from the last: introduction of Jimmy, the Battlechargers having caught up with the humans, etc.

Good, if tentative, character development for Ratchet. The hologram gags were amusing and subtle. Like the references to the Dinobots and Mt St Helens (instead of Hilary). Feels very 2006 (what with Jimmy and Verity's net relationship).

Art is very fluid... action scenes have lots of pzzazz and the last splash page was excellent.

I hope there isn't too much of a shift into robo action next issue. I've enjoyed the slow build up and it would undo that hard work to go overboard. Remember Dreamwave's G1 issue 3? Pants!

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:32 pm

Just read this sitting on the loo at work, not had a chance ot peruse the letters page yet but its nice to see one, especially one of such length.

Anyway, i pretty much loved this, for a firts issue, my only dissapointment being that it was over fairly quickly, but still far meatier than DW's opening shot and i think a better introdcution in terms of story than even Marvel's first issue, although in fairness that was weighed down by the baggage on introducing concepts and background info Simon can pretty much take for granted here.

I agree the story didn't move that far from issue 0 but we got enough - all the main players are assembled now in the sense thatwe now have a convergence between the bots, cons and humans. Plus i don't think you can assume everyone has issue 0, that was really for the hardcore internet morons like us, if they key details had been missed out i think it might have effected the broader market.

I like the angle Ratchet is coming from, and the notion that the 'bots may have lost sight of things a bit (i'd love to see a slightly more 'practical' Oppy)

Dialouge was good all round, nice interactions between everyone and Ratchet's human persona used to great effect.

EJ's art did its job and more, i thought the chase scene was phenomenal - its actually pretty rare that we have seen TFs duking it out in vehical mode in comic format and i liked the variety of weaponry at Ratchet's disposal.

And i still love the Guido cover...

Anyway - i'm happy. Good start. Best thing i have read from Simon in ages (probably since World's collide at least) and fantastic art that does its primary job and then gets flashy on us, not the other way around.

more later when i have had a chance ot reread.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:31 pm

Best First wrote: Best thing i have read from Simon in ages

I would agree with this. Simon seriously slumped during his DW tenure in my opinion, but the writing in this first issue surpasses even some of his Marvel stuff, which tended to be campy at times.

I really, really hope that annoying Verity chick gets stomped on by a Battlecharger.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:07 am

How come Ironhide's picture isn't on the contents page?

And how come Prowl's is? Is he hidden somewhere in the issue?

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:30 am

spiderfrommars wrote:How come Ironhide's picture isn't on the contents page?

And how come Prowl's is? Is he hidden somewhere in the issue?

Apparently there was an art error. That's not Ironhide, it's a miscoloured Prowl.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:15 pm

Yeah, that bits a boo boo.

i think it supposed to reflect a conversation held over a monitor - the arm is prowl's when the monitor is turned off - and the face reflected is Ratchet's looking over in dissapointment.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 3:38 pm

Oops. And do Runabout and Runamuck switch sides during the chase or is it another colouring error?

I might have spotted Bumblebee in this issue.

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:31 pm

Yeah, I completely mis-read the monitor thing first time through... it's a flashback rather than a long-distance conversation Ratchet's having with Prowl as Ratchet eludes the Battlechargers... although oddly it seemed to make perfect sense...

Post by **Best First** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:57 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:Oops. And do Runabout and Runamuck switch sides during the chase or is it another colouring error?

I might have spotted Bumblebee in this issue.

i don't think they swap - the way the light is cast they just look a bit similar at points.

you made me have a look for BB - good spot, potentially...

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:57 am

Yeah, there is a VW in there. Also is that the front headlamp of Pat Lee's Porsche that we see in Jimmy Pink's garage?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:07 pm

I thought it was a Mini?

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:30 pm

I loved it! Possibly for the first time, it looks like I'm going to have an opening Transformers story that I can lend to non-TF fans and say, "There! Have a read of that - I'm pretty sure you'll be hooked." Can hardly wait for the next issue.

Agree that it's definitely Prowl's arm and Ratchet's head in the flashback conversation over a monitor.

I *do* think the Battlechargers are swapped round. In the battle scene it's definitely Runabout who gets his front passenger window shattered. When they reappear at the end, this injury has been transferred to Runamuck.

Also: has Ratchet stolen other Autobots' weapons for the purposes of his mission? He's got Smokescreen's metal-sticky black smoke for certain, and the first weapon used on Runamuck smacks destinctly of Cliffjumper's glass gas. I can't identify the other two (three, if you count the spash pages,) but they each seem distinctive enough to be someone's characteristic armament. Help me out here!

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:52 pm

ah - i never looked at the battle damage, just ther colours, fair point.

as for the weapons - i don't really like the idea of ecah TF having special powers that are exclusive to them to be honest, it seems like a silly self imposed limit - i mean some kind of smoke to confound the enemy strikes me as a standard fitting, espcaillay if you are ground based and your foe is largely in aerial form (although i like the way Furman seesm to have provided a more balanced Decept strike force) . The corrosive thing could be ratchet's 'cryogenic cold' i guess, but anyway I think that the idea of each TF actually have ing a few nifty weapons installed adds to the more mature approach.

welcome by the way.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:22 pm

Jack Cade wrote:I loved it! Possibly for the first time, it looks like I'm going to have an opening Transformers story that I can lend to non-TF fans and say, "There! Have a read of that - I'm pretty sure you'll be hooked." Can hardly wait for the next issue.

I know what you mean.

But I also find G2 and War Within Vol 1 go down a treat.

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:39 pm

Thanks for the welcome!

I'm hopeful for War Within, but I only got the first issue when it first came out (only very recently got back into the swing of things with Transformers,) and I'm waiting on the trade, which should be posted to me soon, if Amazon are to be believed.

Another weapon that Ratchet may have stolen: Hound's hologram gun.

I take your point though, Best First. I'd kind of like a medium between the two. Something like: all the weapons are available to all the Autobots, but everyone has their favourites. One thing that's always seemed to me to be a missed opportunity with Transformers is how, despite the detail the TF Universe profiles went into about who was armed with what, most fights came down to laser salvos.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:54 pm

As someone who is trying to build a TFs game and is currently struggling with the seemingly endless number of TF weapons, ammo types and effects, it would be nice if they had all come fitted with a standard "laser". While we're on the subject, incidentally, does anyone know what Beastbox's (the pink gorilla tape dude) weapons were called?

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:22 pm

Metal Vendetta wrote:As someone who is trying to build a TFs game and is currently struggling with the seemingly endless number of TF weapons, ammo types and effects, it would be nice if they had all come fitted with a standard "laser". While we're on the subject, incidentally, does anyone know what Beastbox's (the pink gorilla tape dude) weapons were called?

Here:

http://info.icemanx.nl/tf-show.php?name ... i-Cassette

Compression Cannons (Compression air guns they seem)

Post by **Best First** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:54 pm

Jack Cade wrote:
Another weapon that Ratchet may have stolen: Hound's hologram gun.

seems unlikley given that Hound isn't part of this crew (as far as i can tell)

I take your point though, Best First. I'd kind of like a medium between the two. Something like: all the weapons are available to all the Autobots, but everyone has their favourites.

works for me.

One thing that's always seemed to me to be a missed opportunity with Transformers is how, despite the detail the TF Universe profiles went into about who was armed with what, most fights came down to laser salvos.

as much as the 'special weapons' idea seems a bit sill;y to me i agree - if you ar egoing to make a point of each TF having certain abilities at least showcase them - i think this tended to be forgotton in most cases soon after characters were introduced.

then again some of the weapons were just stupid - didn't Iguanus have a 'grease blower' or something?

"Laser rifle?"

"No thanks, ill have a grease blower please"

pfft.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:34 pm

Remember Blaster and the Electro-Scrambler? I hated that damn thing. I just wanted him to shoot somebody and get it over with.

Finally got this. Thoughts:

Su's artwork is a wonderful change from the DW style. For starters, I can actually tell what's going on in the fight scenes. Ratchet has his three little guns and Runabout has his missle launcher.

Verity is annoying as hell. Some of the dialogue comes off too early Marvel. "While you boys are finished with your fraternity pledge, big sis is over here!" I haven't had any reasons yet to like Verity as a character. I'm sure I will, but nothing yet. Simon, you listening?

Su's people are quite well done, but his cars and TFs look like gold. The art surpassed all my expectations.

This is my ravorite start to a TF revamp ever, barring even G2, though I'm not sure if this one will turn out better than G2. I agree that they need to hold off on the TFs at the beginning sometimes.

Oh, and Runabout & Runamuck as Camaros--very cool.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:57 pm

I'm having a bit of a hard time to get into Su's humans, they don't quite do it for me yet.

His alt-modes are truly the best part, and are very well done. His robots.. hmm, I'm not sure yet, I'll refrain final judgement when we see them in robo-combat in next issue.

The story moved forward in an interesting manor, showing off more about the main-characters from last issue, in a logical manor, this time from Onions perspective. Perhaps not as loveable to me as a certain mechanics-family, but I'm sure they'll grow on the readers, or get canned.

Hehe... Ratchet is emulating Arnold Shwarzenegger in this issue..

A funny little touch.

I'd say something about what I find to be slightly wild colouring in this issue, but it might be that the issue I got hold of had some.. errors in it's.. printing..

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:00 pm

I've written more here.

http://www.transfans.net/comics_guide_detail.php?id=643