IDW so far

[Best First]

Sort of inspired by Sprunker's comic review topic - how do we think IDW are doing since day 1 to now, the end of Revelation?

I guess the real challenge is also trying to asses this without looking back at the sh*t fest that was DW and trying to give a more objective assesment.

So far for me, i would say it runs something like this, in no real order:

Bots:

1) Use of Furman, and his current game levels
2) The main series - especially on the characterisation front
3) EJ EJ EJ EJ EeeeeeeeeeeJaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.
4) Genrally the right mix of new and old concept wise
5) No Unicron
6) Spotlights esp Kup, Shockers, Nightbeat

Cons:

1) Inconsistancy - be it level of communication with the fans, schedule, previews etc
2) Slightly defensive and poor on the comms front when it comes to things like late issues
3) Trying to express a nagative opinion on their boards without someone replying with "Well i thought it was great " or crawling up Eric Holmes ass
4) Lack of an ongoing (although i understand the reasons for this, but i am sure there are solutions, like maybe having GG and EJ alternate on 6 issue arcs) really saps the momentum of the series.
5) Editorial inconsistancy when different writers are involved, which makes me nervous
6) Sorry to say it - but Alex Milne - just not quite got it
7) Hearts of Steel
BW Sourcebook - ultimately uninteresting

Wheelies:

1) Megs origin - a stain on the continuity and an insult to my wallet. Which bearing in mind i don't really give two hoots about p*ssing my income up the wall is a big criticism from me.

The fact there are more negatives than positives doesn't mean i think they are doing an overall bad job - as the positives are more general, but conversely while i do feel the main title has gone from strength to strength some of the stuff round the edges is not being as well handled as it was when the title first relaunced.

other thoughts? dissent? etc...

[Brendocon]

Lack of a weekly release schedule is my main gripe, though that seems to have changed at the mo.

Sadly I know that's just compensation for the dry spell a while back.

Currently staring into a yawning chasm of not knowing when the continuity will pick up again is a down.

But release schedule (and communication relating to it) aside, I love everything.

EVERYTHING.

Except Megs Origin. But that should go without saying.

I even like Milne's art in Arcee, now that I've had a chance to let it soak in. Understand what he was going for, and even if it doesn't quite work and is compounded by the printing problems, I can't put it down as a neg. Could do without the vamp teeth, though.

Not convinced on the pacing of the ongoing. Not due to release schedules or anything, but more the timeline... things seem distorted from a chronology pov. Hard to put into words.

Love it all, though. It's not Preacher, but I don't expect it to be. I take it for what it is and it makes me a happy person.

[Yaya]

Pros:

1. Management. It's a nice feeling to know that the company will likely exist tomorrow, and that as long as sales stay where they are, we could get years of Transformery goodness

2. Spotlights have been sweet. In particular, Shockwave and Kup. Won't forget those two issues even twenty years from now.

3. Intricately woven galaxy-spanning storyline. You can't go wrong with so many different subplots and layers all intertwined.

4. Nick Roche. Where DW gave us the Figster and Guido, IDW's artistic stamp for me is Nick. The boy can write too.

5. Evolutions. Yeah, Hearts of Steel ended horribly, but I give props to IDW for taking a risk and trying something new. Gotta take risk sometimes.

6. No Unicron or Primus.

Cons:

1. Release schedule. It's erratic with too many gaps, and the delay between six issue arcs really puts a damper on things.

2. Furmanesque dialogue. This has always been a pet peeve of mine, and that Simon makes many characters too cookie-cutter. Those Mini-constructicons were a breath of fresh air. But after flawed performances by Dixon, Holmes, and Strayson, can there be any other besides Furman?

3. Pacing. The story is good, the way it's rolling out is kind of slow for my taste. It's not a big problem, it just seems there are some lulls here and there.

4. Megatron Origin. The most anticipated series of all for me turned out to be IDW's biggest disappointment.

5. Sixshot spotlight. Really the only spotlight I loathed. After so many, that's quite an accomplishment.


Overall, definitely more positives than negatives though.

I'm happy.

[Sunyavadin]

Total agreement on the spotlights. And I don't see what everyone has against the art in Spotlight Arcee. It's at least more consistent than the visual cancer that was Spotlight:Nightbeat. A shame as it was such a good story, but the whole thing was made overall mediocre by the art.
Spotlight Kup was a superb piece of work. Overall I'd say the Spotlights are my favourite TF series in the current run.

I agree on Megs:origin too. Give me State Games any day.

The storyline consistency is wonderful, and the setting is perfectly arranged to allow any number of self-contained storylines while keeping the grand overarching scale of the main plot. I'm one of those people who has taken to calling this "Ultimate Transformers", and not without reason.
The setting also allows one story arc to focus on Earth, while all the others give us what I for one really want - Big robots and no annoying fleshlings getting in the way.

Over here release schedules on everything have been fairly consistent. I guess because we get it ALL later than the states, our suppliers can keep better to a regular schedule.
The only one I had trouble with was Megs: Origin, which I only ever got ONE issue of, and ended up getting the TPB for christmas...

Furman's writing is some of his best yet. He is THE writer for Transformers, proven over decades of work as THE authority on how to write a good TF story.
CONVERSELY
We have a few too many "Furmanisms" slipping into the dialogue now and again. Particular turns of phrase that are just overused, and character behaviours.


And I still say I like Arcee's fangs.

[Denyer]

It's at least more consistent than the visual cancer that was Spotlight:Nightbeat.

It told the story clearly, which is the main thing I ask of comics art. Even the art in Spotlight: Sixshot did that, though pairing it with the type of script it got was a mistake that called attention to the lack of dynamics. Milne has improved quickly, but wouldn't be one of my first choices for a book.

The only complaint about the main arcs I have is Furman's tendency to sag a bit in the middle of miniseries and the gaps between them, though it'd be nice to get Josh Burcham on those books regularly.

All-in-all I'm still very interested in singles as they come out, particularly Spotlights.

[spiderfrommars]

Bots:

Spotlights - it's so brilliant getting a tale told in the span of one comic, just like the old days.

Giving EJ and Nick full time gigs.

The back to basics "Ultimate" approach.

The galaxy spanning feel and an intruiging unravelling story. It's kinda like Lost meets Heroes in disguise.

Cons:

Gaps between series. If we can't have an ongoing as such, then at least have the seperate volumes back to back. It doesn't create anticipation on my part, more ambivalence.

Last Summer - hardly anything good came out amongst all the movie-pandering.

Megatron: Origin - Possibly worse than anything Dreamwave ever did. So bad I could cry.

Beast Wars: The Ascending - Pissed all my enthusiasm for that continuity up the wall.

Reprints - Random selections whether released in comics or TPBs.

Letters pages - Print proper letters, not random forum stuff.

Fans that say everything is amazing.

On the whole I really like what IDW are doing, but it's always the case that I elaborate more on the things I don't like than the things I do. Human nature I suppose.

[Sunyavadin]

It seems to be the case that we're liking the IDW stuff for the most part, but what we don't like, we seem to be loathing. And it seems to be fairly consistent among most of us here what we don't like.

Is that a fair and accurate analysis?

[sprunkner]

Bots:

I cannot say how much I've loved Infil/Escal/Deva Station. The art... good God, the amazing amazing art. And the slugfests. I nearly creamed myself when Megs blow a hole right through Starscream in Infil, and the Prime/Megs showdown in Escal was another creaming moment, and then the battle royale in the final ish of Deva took me back to Edge of Extinction in the greatest way.

The artists. Well, except Milne in Origin, though I thought he redeemed himself a little with Arcee. The other artists are all sooo good, and unlike Dreamwave, so distinct. I realize some of that was DW's policy. I was always trying to figure out what frustrated me about DW's art, and it took a while, but I did. (See my review of Morigin #1. Reviews of 2-4 coming over spring break, I promise!) IDW's artists are all clear, all distinct--Roche doesn't look like Su, Guidi doesn't look like Fig, Matere and the other guys are even distinct--and I could have any one of them drawing a monthly comic and I would be so happy.

The frequency and diversity of comics. I know Dreamwave pushed out a lot of stuff at once, but the interplay between Spotlights and main titles has been, for me, a beautiful dynamic. Which leads me to:

The Spotlights. The Stations are definitely Ultimate Transformers, but these are all Marvel UK. I love them, and I love that a single-issue format can still be so much fun. That Shockwave Spotlight.... still drooling two years later.

Furman's control of things. Putting McDonough and Patyk in a creatively responsibly position at DW was a complete wank and a slap in the face. What sort of experience did those guys have with TFs? All I remember were a bunch of interview with McDonough where he said he really wanted to write GI Joe. Dumb [composite word including 'f*ck']. It's much better when someone with perspective can have creative control, and someone who's proven he can handle the TFs.

Cons:

Morigin. A promising series ruined by muddy art and eight-grade level writing.

I'm not crazy about the gap between series, (serieses?) though as long as we get a fix once or twice a month in some way, I'm okay.

Although I love Furman, I agree with a few of the comments about his writing. I usually overlook the bad puns and cheesy comments in favor of the spot-perfect characterization of the TFs. But sometimes it is a bit hard to overlook when I've been reading Bendis or Ellis in conjunction. Which leads me to:

The lack of name writers. Shane McCarthy is the first step to fix this, and part of this is just generational, as the kids who grew up in TFs are just beginning to make a dent in the entertainment industry. Still, with Furman as a creative overseer to keep continuity straight, I would have loved to see what Warren Ellis could do with Morigin, or Mark Millar, or even someone like Fabian Nicieza who's tried but true. These nobodies showing up to write the side serieseseses feels a lot like the McDonough regime. Sure, they'll do good... we hope. It's asking us to take a risk with our income.

Now, if IIIIIII wrote the TFs, I'd deliver.

Overall:

Dreamwave took away the sheer pleasure of getting my TF fix every month. IDW has given it back and every time I walk into the comic store and see that Autobot symbol a little eight-year old inside does a happy dance. I might gripe, but the emotional value of reading these comics every month is immeasurable.

[Brendocon]

It seems to be the case that we're liking the IDW stuff for the most part, but what we don't like, we seem to be loathing. And it seems to be fairly consistent among most of us here what we don't like.

Is that a fair and accurate analysis?

People whose views differ from our own get the fire and pitchfork treatment, yes... what's your point?

[Denyer]

It seems to be the case that we're liking the IDW stuff for the most part, but what we don't like, we seem to be loathing.

Haven't really hated anything so far, only waste of potential. Then again I'm sticking to main universe stuff for the most part...

[Sunyavadin]

It seems to be the case that we're liking the IDW stuff for the most part, but what we don't like, we seem to be loathing.

Haven't really hated anything so far, only waste of potential. Then again I'm sticking to main universe stuff for the most part...

Well, I thought the evolutions Idea was an alright concept. It's one I've wanted to see since Fourth Heir on Deviantart started knocking out concepts for historical transformers a few years back, with Da Vinci bots and cons, and the like.
Hopefully next time they'll pull the idea off a bit better, if there is a next time.


I've still got my fingers crossed that one issue of something will include a bonus one-page "Spotlight:Wheelie" where Galvatron disintegrates him.

[Hot Shot]

I've still got my fingers crossed that one issue of something will include a bonus one-page "Spotlight:Wheelie" where Galvatron disintegrates him.

Um...no.

[veritech]

At first I was very upset with IDW. The firt arc, infiltration, was a very sloooow story and featured almost NO Transformers! But the story has picked up dramatically since then. But I am not really certain what is going on with the . . . . what is this . . . . the fourth phase of Furman's plan? Can anyone explain why they decided to end the current storyline with spotlightts?

The spotlights have been alot of fun and Stormbringer was really cool. Megatron: Origin was not so cool . . . . mainly 'cause I couldn't make out any of the characters due to heavy lines.

Beast Wars was a mixed bag with the first mini-series being very good and the second being a mess.

All in all, I would give IDW a solid "B" so far . . . .

[spiderfrommars]

I feel bad about the negativity in my previous post. And yet, the truth is... I seem to be losing my enthusiasm overall.

I think a proper ongoing comic landing on my doormat every month without fail would alleviate that somewhat, I really do.

[BB Shockwave]

I feel bad about the negativity in my previous post. And yet, the truth is... I seem to be losing my enthusiasm overall.

I think a proper ongoing comic landing on my doormat every month without fail would alleviate that somewhat, I really do.

I agree with you - just remember DW's Armada-Energon series. Having it in an ongoing format allowed Simon to do smaller 2-issue stories and concentrate on minor cast members too. Now he even has to use the Spotlights to move the main story along, which kind of diminishes the Spotlight's character focus.

[Best First]

I feel bad about the negativity in my previous post. And yet, the truth is... I seem to be losing my enthusiasm overall.

Yeah, me too to some extent. The combination of gaps between series and a seeming lack of editorial co-ordination whenever SF is not directly involved have watered down my levels of engagement.

[sprunkner]

I'm finishing up my review of Infiltration/Stormbringer/Spotlight vol. 1 and I realized IDW's TF line is almost older than DW's. Theirs was summer 02-winter 04. IDW's started in January of 06, and it's now spring of 08. As of summer IDW will pass DW's mark.

[Yaya]

I feel bad about the negativity in my previous post. And yet, the truth is... I seem to be losing my enthusiasm overall.

Yeah, me too to some extent. The combination of gaps between series and a seeming lack of editorial co-ordination whenever SF is not directly involved have watered down my levels of engagement.

Agree about the gaps. They really, really hurt.

I feel the opposite about the writing. I think it's exciting new blood is being brought in to write the TF. I'm afraid that things will stagnate if things stay the way they are.

To be honest, it's more me than anything. I'm older and because of my many years of experiencing sci-fi/fantasy, I need something new, something more serious, something that hasn't been done before.

I need character deaths. I need tragedy in these stories. I need the Transformer stories to become darker. I need there to be more at stake than what I've seen so far.

To me, the best damn thing that came out of Devestation was seeing Runamucks head fly through the air and get crushed by a large rock.

All Hail Megatron could be just what the doctor ordered for me.

[sprunkner]

Hmm... the complaints in here seem kind of silly now, don't they?

We now have one big series, badly written and overhyped, squeezing out the ending of the story that's being going since January06.

IDW sucks!

Yet there are still people out there like this (from IDW's board):

I'd pick up where Dreamwave left off. That's still my favorite continuity and they left so much left unfinished.

Gotta admit, the Sunstorm and War Within storyarcs are still by far my favorite TF stories to this day.

And they were just getting started on the female Autobots story arc, and revelaing the Quintessons diabolical plans. Optimus was also set to make his return in both the ongoing books as well as War Within: Age of Wrath.

[Professor Smooth]

While DW's business model seemed to be pretty much, "there are enough Transformers fans out there to make this profitable. Sell to them!" IDW is treating the property in such a way as to make it appealing to non-TF fans. That is to say that their books might appeal to the kinds of people that are already in comic book stores.

Fanwank is kept to a minimum and an emphasis is placed on telling a story. Basically, they're not treating it like a nostalgia property or a novelty. I appreciate that.

Also, there hasn't been so much as a Pat Lee variant cover, which is appealing to me.

I don't have a problem handing my Infiltration trade to a non-fan and suggesting that they read it. It took some serious fortitude on the part of the IDW guys to put out a book like that.

I'm at a loss as to how AHM is going to fit into their continuity, but they keep making assurances that it will, so I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt.

Oh, and Megatron: Origin was terrible. There. I said it.

[Best First]

Saying Fanwank is at a minimum when Megstron actually RUBBED HIS CANNON in the latest AHM seems a bit of a contradiction.

Serioulsy i think the new series is def creeping back into fwank territory.

[Professor Smooth]

Saying Fanwank is at a minimum when Megstron actually RUBBED HIS CANNON in the latest AHM seems a bit of a contradiction.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand that comment.

[Yaya]

Saying Fanwank is at a minimum when Megstron actually RUBBED HIS CANNON in the latest AHM seems a bit of a contradiction.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand that comment.

BF's dirty mind at work, is all.

[BB Shockwave]

To me, the best damn thing that came out of Devestation was seeing Runamucks head fly through the air and get crushed by a large rock.

THEY KILLED THE BATTLECHARGERS!!!! The bastards!

Sorry - still can't get myself over this. I was hoping Simon would develop them more, after all, when was the last time they got so much spotlight?

Never fear though, I have a Mosaic about them in the works, called "Afterdeath". No, not THAT "Afterdeath"...

All Hail Megatron could be just what the doctor ordered for me.

I'd check whether your doctor is not called Dr Finkelstein... or Dr Tarantulas...

[Predabot]

Wheelies:

1) Megs origin - a stain on the continuity and an insult to my wallet. Which bearing in mind i don't really give two hoots about p*ssing my income up the wall is a big criticism from me.

other thoughts? dissent? etc...

Bit harsh using poor Wheelie as the general mark of non-quality for TF nowadays tho, now 'ennit?

After IDW went and actually made him a decently valid character and everything.

We obviously need a new measurement of TF-fail... I would like to nominate... Sunstorm.

Born out of a botched discoloured paintjob for Starscream, dun' get more fitting than that.

[stranger]

We obviously need a new measurement of TF-fail... I would like to nominate... Sunstorm.

Born out of a botched discoloured paintjob for Starscream, dun' get more fitting than that.

I think "McCarthy's" has a nice ring to it.