Escalation #1 (SPOILERS) Review

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:58 am

Read it. Liked it.

Strong start, both storywise and from E.J. His rendition of Optimus has to be one of the best to date. Nice to see Simon continue with the bold moves of either removing major players like Starscream, Cybertron, Thunderwing, etc. from the picture for a while, or killing them off altogether.

My main complaint, though, is that the blurbs and previews of variant covers that came out before this issues release allowed the plot here to be too easily deciphered and took a lot out of the shock value out of the story. It was already pretty much determined across the TF boards that Hunter and Sunstreaker were going to buy the farm, based on the soliciations for future issues, and on Klaus' cover with Verity crying over a yellow metal Sunstreaker plate with Jimmy Pink looking on.

Seriously, reconsider how future solicitations are worded and make sure that nothing crucial to an issue is so easily garnered from the frothy-mouthed rabid TF fans that we are.

I know, I know, you could say "Well why the #### are you reading solicitations?", but I don't. It's just nigh impossible to escape these spoilers when you surf the many TF boards for discussion.

Anyway, strong work guys, and a good start to Escalation. A solid "B+" issue. By issues end, I was eagerly wanting more. Can't believe its another months wait (and the TF Movie comic doesn't really do a good job of tiding me over).

Manchester Devil · Post by **Manchester Devil** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:00 pm

Here's some more spoilers for you Yaya. Look closely at the panel of Mobile 2 with the drones. Recongise that bumper just behind the second drone?

Remember in Infiltration #6, the Machination wanted a live Transformer, not kill one. General Tekno brought it up at the IDW TF forum.

Furman, you CLEVER man you!

That all said, Escalation issue 1 (Issue 11) made my trousers bulge quite a lot.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 7:55 pm

I thought it was pretty good.

I have to agree, I also didn't like the way how Sunstreaker's death was telegraphed by the covers and solicits. Would've been awesome to just be completly shocked.

Absolute FAVE moment by Simon:

Building up the whole "Prowl is a dick to the humans" angle, playing right into people's previous character conceptions, and then totally reframing it by having Optimus being the one who wanted them out, and Prowl simply being the "bad cop" of the situation because Prime's got to keep the appearence of clean hands. GREAT perspective on an old dynamic.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:14 pm

Shanti418 wrote: Building up the whole "Prowl is a dick to the humans" angle, playing right into people's previous character conceptions, and then totally reframing it by having Optimus being the one who wanted them out, and Prowl simply being the "bad cop" of the situation because Prime's got to keep the appearence of clean hands. GREAT perspective on an old dynamic.

Poor Prowl. Nobody understands him...

But great that this time, he's doing what OP told him... I can't wait to read this one. And yeah, the whole 'Machination wants a live one' was pretty logical... besides, they can deactivate SS and then repair him, if they want... and letting the Bots he is dead makes sure they won't come looking for him. (Thought I guess Ratchet will figure it out during the 'autopsy' sooner or later.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:25 am

Manchester Devil wrote:Here's some more spoilers for you Yaya. Look closely at the panel of Mobile 2 with the drones. Recongise that bumper just behind the second drone?

Remember in Infiltration #6, the Machination wanted a live Transformer, not kill one. General Tekno brought it up at the IDW TF forum.

Yeah, everyone on the IDW is raving about it.

I'm the only schmuck that didn't notice. Have to go back and check.

As I would like to see more done with Sunstreaker, I'm sort of glad he's probably not dead.

Hunter, on the other hand.....

Manchester Devil · Post by **Manchester Devil** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 5:31 pm

If it makes you feel better, I didn't get it the first time either.

Roll on Escalation 2/ issue 12.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 10:03 am

I got carried along with the story very nicely indeed. Surprised to see some of those 'cons alive after some of the damage they received. Not convinced Sunstreaker or Hunter were killed though it was still a cool cliffhanger. I actually thought what Verity said about never being wanted was poignant... I hope the hate dies down.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Sat Dec 02, 2006 7:21 pm

There is another hint - when starting the assault, Agent Drake tells Mobile Two to "deliver the package", aka the mock Streaker.

Nah, I hardly think he's dead... rather captured by the Machination agents.

Frankly at first I was kinda vary about the Machinations, fearing they'd turn out to be cheesy... but as things unfold, I think there is (pardon the pun) more to them then meets the eye.

Must say I not as much liked the story for the main plot, but for all the tidbits we learned.

Things I particulary loved this issue:

-Prime's little comment about 'not wanting to be attached to a species they might not be able to save'.
-Sunstreaker - I like that Furman is back to the old Marvel type version of him, the vain egoist type. Never really liked the cold-hearted 'cool' Sunstreaker in DW that cartoon fans were so amazed about.
-Ironhide. He's really a professional, not? And it's not everyday we see a Bot care so little about humans, the way Ironhide was ramming all those cars to make way...
-Megs holding a meeting for the Cons - it was nice to see how he leads. Must say, Megs would invoke fear in them even if they wouldn't have witnessed what he can do
-Jazz's hologram and him revising the holos - yeah, that smile had to go.

-Sunstreaker's video game starring... himself!
-Little things that flesh out characters, like the Battlechargers finishing each other's sentence.
-The COns 'not dealing in petty retributions' - proving they not only 'mean business' but that Megs is keeping everyone in check.

-And in a bit more detail about (what I love best), how Simon puts the threads together from the Spotlights and Stormbringer... For example Prime's talking to the following guys:

-Jetfire, learning about what was deduced from Bludgeon's files.
-Springer, no doubt leading the Wreckers on another mission.
-Ultra Magnus - that talk will be in the spotlight for sure, as he tells "up to his old mischief again. I'm bringing him in now" he's definitely talking about Swindle.
-Hardhead (I think?), telling Prime the Nebulos Infiltration team has gone to ground again. Since the Cons suffered high casualties there and we have seen a Cover where Astrotrain attacks Hardhead, I guess we'll be seeing him delivering reinforcements to Nebulos in the future.

-Some more things we learned:

-Shockwave and Soundwave are loose on Earth... and that makes logical that

-Just how come the Machination knows so much about TFs, how to hurt them or even having weapons that can disable them and block communications. The obvious answer would be that they captured Shockwave when he was excavated... but knowing Simon, it'll hardly be that simple.
-facsimiles... Remember those skeletons Verity found in the abandoned base? It's logical to assume

that however long the TFs have been on earth, the Cons had time to assassinate important men in the world and replace them with cloned agents - or they only plan to do it now, when their batch is ready.

All in all, things have been really kicked up a notch, can't wait for #2!

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:43 am

The only sad part is that I have to wait so long to have it all and read it as it comes out.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:37 am

BB Shockwave wrote: Frankly at first I was kinda vary about the Machinations, fearing they'd turn out to be cheesy... but as things unfold, I think there is (pardon the pun) more to them then meets the eye.

Must say I not as much liked the story for the main plot, but for all the tidbits we learned.

Same here. It was mainly all about the characterisation for me.
Oh, and the Soundwave namedrop.

Good stuff, this.