Rate 'The Smelting Pool'!

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:02 am

Your thoughts on the first part of Marvel's Return to Cybertron saga?

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:16 am

I think this was the first point I started reading TF comics.

Scrounge's demise has stuck with me ever since. A truly tragic Transformer.

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 12:40 pm

It's good but very overrated. Blaster's characterisation is very much evident however very unoriginal; he's the same as all the other gritty, "Hard Man" heroes. Aside from that we do get a pretty dark portrayal of Cybertron, which makes for interesting reading.

Another factor to bear in mind is how and when the reader experiences it. Those who bought it when it originally came out/on Ebay or bought the TPBs in chronological order will have a better appreciation than those who both the TPBs in order of their release. The former had been subjected to a God awful run of comics (even Plight of The Bumblebee is nothing more than a sugary, moralistic tale) and furthermore they get their first look at Cybertron and state in which it's in.

Those who already have the " All Fall Down" "End Of The Road", G2 TPBs won't appreciate it as much; some may even consider it unbelievably inferior.

It's a good issue in it's own right; Straxus is an entertaining stereotype and I do love the sheer crumbyness of Perceptor 's seemingly ragtag bunch of Minibots (Though I am a Minibot fanboy to some extent) The "Empties" add some extra grit and realism, a very nice touch inddeed. Scrounge's death is memorable and somewhat emotional (Though a tad forced). Probably the best writing the US comic had received up until that point.

Finally, "My--My arm! My special arm...There is no other like it". Classic.

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:31 pm

Issue 1 of the comic showed us how war began. Issues 17-18 showed us what happened next and imbetween. I really appreciated the comics when I read them (I read them as a child and in order).

I felt that in the framework of the story the real importance of why autobots should win the war. The stories before although many were good (for that times sake) didnt portray the things as hard and on a so global/wider scale as the Smelting Pool. And also how was the extreme disadvantage the autobot forces were in their home.

Scrounge symbolized for me the face/and personality of the autobot unknown fighter, special, but with a lot of doubts of a war he hasnt chosen to be in. And this is more notorious with the comparison of his friend Blaster.

Very good.

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:43 pm

The Last Autobot wrote:Issue 1 of the comic showed us how war began. Issues 17-18 showed us what happened next and imbetween.

Sorry, typing error on my part, I meant to say "First proper look"

And when I said awful run of comics I wasn't referring to every comic that had gone before. All the stories before " The Smelting Pool" that are included in the "Cybertron Redux" TPB are basically rubbish IMHO.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 7:37 pm

Scrounges death really hit home when I read it as a young teenager.

Definitely one of my favorite TF tales of all time.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:08 pm

It's quite good really. It gives us a sneak-peak at the attrocities that the Decepticons have wrought, not just on the population, but on the planet itself.

Another memorable moment is when Blaster is forced to destroy the reformated spanner, in order to shut down the space-bridge, he may have been a neutral troughout the war, but his core-programming was autobot.

Also Blaster KICKS REAR HULL, imo.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:37 pm

Aardvark wrote:Blaster's characterisation is very much evident however very unoriginal; he's the same as all the other gritty, "Hard Man" heroes.

Another person with impeccable taste, at last!

Nothing out of the pack to say here; it's a level beyond what we had been used to up to that point, and I recall myself and my friend who also read the TF comic when I was a kid being shocked at how hardcore the Scrounge death-scene was. 'Transformers is the best thing ever' I think we probably both thought after finishing that comic.

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 2:19 pm

Predabot wrote: Another memorable moment is when Blaster is forced to destroy the reformated spanner, in order to shut down the space-bridge, he may have been a neutral troughout the war, but his core-programming was Autobot.

That happened in "The Bridge to Nowhere" which is much weaker than “The Smelting Pool” IMHO.

Spanner's tragic death is simply a rehash of the previous issue. Look at the last page of both issues; Perceptor and co are all fluffy and happy while Blaster mourns the death of their fallen comrade. The penultimate panel in TSP and the final panel in TBTN is virtually the same.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 9:41 am

I loved that time in the TF comic - I was facinated by cybertron life and all the strange and wonderfull TF we dont normally get to see living there.
Scrounges death was brutal and captivated me at the same time, I really felt for Scrounge and Blasters character for me was instantly changed to a different heroic level.

Love it - I wish TF comics could always be like this.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:51 am

Makes you eager for that new project that ol' Bob's working on with da Don don' it?

He's got entirely free hands this time!

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:08 am

Maybe the Bob project is a Blaster spotlight.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:59 am

That would be the awesomest thing since pre-sliced bread now wouldn't it?

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:17 pm

Aardvark wrote:Maybe the Bob project is a Blaster spotlight.

Or it's something completetly pointless and rather unnecessary. Like extended adaptation of the animated movie from 1986.

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:07 pm

In case anyone thinks Ozz was joking; http://www.tfarchive.com/community/show ... adid=35937

...unless he was and it's just a hilarious coincidence

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 12:30 am

Aardvark wrote:In case anyone thinks Ozz was joking; http://www.tfarchive.com/community/show ... adid=35937

...unless he was and it's just a hilarious coincidence

What... what the... no, that's..

I don't get it..

I know it's 20th Anniversay and everything, but why? It feels so unnecessary. Budiansky's talents could have been put to much better use. One of them of course being to make a profile-book of some kind.

Oh well.. I hope they show those story-boarded but unanimated death-scenes tho..

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 12:37 am

Well IDW are re-releasing DW’s MTMTE so there wasn't really much chance of a Bob profile book

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Wed Jul 19, 2006 5:25 am

Aardvark wrote:...unless he was and it's just a hilarious coincidence

I'm awesome that way.

I jsaw it somewhere else, but the [composite word including 'f*ck'] posted it didn't leave the link but copied the solicitations, and I couldn't find the original text.