Just read all the IDW comics, and...

[Impactor returns 2.0]

Right then, been a bit slow getting around to this but I’ve just finished reading all the new TF comics, so infiltration, stormbringer, escalation, devastation and all the spotlight’s... I’ve had them sitting here now for a few months but University (which I’ve just finished and get my final grade Friday) has had me sooo busy.
Well, coming from a perspective of the old G1 I wasn’t sure what to expect, I’ve tried to keep put of all the discussion threads here as to not spoil the story lines to much for myself, so most of what I have read has come as something quite un-expected and new.
At first I was a tad confused, I couldn’t work out if this was a continuation of G1/G2 or something else, then I began to realise it was a new take on events, and I especially enjoyed the overall concept of the decepticons, i.e. They are all about deception etc... So the way they infiltrate a planet and take over was interesting to read.
It was also interesting to see how they brought in new tech to help keep things flowing along nicely, like ‘bouncing’ – Holograms and facsimiles etc... All good.
The thing I have enjoyed most is the overlapping story lines from the main arcs to the spotlights, I’ve really enjoyed this and its added great detail to the main story. If i have a gripe it’s that sometimes the pacing of the issues can change to suddenly from slow to a few frames of carnage, which is sometimes hard to understand, whilst the writing is good I’m still at odds with the art work to be honest, so u can probably guess where I’m going with all of this, please ignore the next paragraph if u love the art...
Oh the artwork, on one hand the detail is brilliant, the colour excellent and on the other, it lacks direction. I was thinking back to G1 (as I always do) and I can’t help but feel that the artwork is very hard on the eyes. I can pick any number of G1 comics where in some scenes there’s no text just brilliant comic style action. For example Rodimuss Prime V’s Galvatron, there’s a scene where both characters draw weapons like a wild west gun fight. It’s brilliantly handled with each slice of the action being drawn (mind the pun) down the page, from the tension before the shot to the sudden flash point. There are loads of moments like this throughout G1 comics but I find it hard to pick even 1 out of all of these current issues. Ill clarify this a tad more before I insult every comic artist who’s worked on IDW TF comics over the past few years. It’s not that the actual art work is bad, far from it, its brilliant, it’s the story telling behind the artwork, especially in the action moments that leaves allot to be desired, I can’t honestly tell what’s going at some points, its taking my eyes ages to adjust to the scene and this really breaks the flow of the story in most cases, almost to the point where I’m solely relying on the words and this breaks the concept of what a comic book is all about in my opinion?
Next to the characters, there seems to be an abundance of over power-full TF in this Universe, from StormBringer to Galvatron and that new Gestalt team I’ve forgotten the name of, Prime and Megatron seem out of their depth on most occasions. Now, as I read through the issues, more of the story begins to fall into place, and I’m hoping that as we learn more, characters like Jihaxus and those undead lot will make more sense, as right now, I have no idea where they are from or what their true intentions really are, but that’s exciting.
I also like to see the TF themselves more spread out, with distinct roles, like Jetfire, and Magnus being this super-cop etc... It works really well and plays to these individual strengths.
Overall I’m impressed, it’s a new take on the G1 model and I think it works really well in most cases; the overall story arc is tying together very well, kudos to Mr.Furman for his work, it must have require allot of planning.
At first my mind kept looking back to the comics I loved, the original G1 stuff, and I’ve tried not to make too many comparisons’ here as its largely unfair as this is new ground, and we have the hindsight of knowing more about the TF characters than we did before.
I can’t wait to find out the next stage of the decepticons plans, the machination and how all the other spotlights will reveal new information. I’d love to see Kup back in action, I thought that was a wicked spotlight, and I thought the wheelie spotlight, given the subject matter of wheelie was really good too. Especially how they worked his unusual speech patterns into the story.
Ill finish by saying that the wreckers are clearly cool as [composite word including 'f*ck'] and if they can get Impactor into the story I will be very excited...

Its good to be back in the TF universe, ive missed it allot!

[Best First]

[spiderfrommars]

Welcome back Impy, good to have you along for the ride!

Have to say where drawing action is concerned, I think EJ and Roche are just as good as any of the classic artists. Some others, like Figueroa or Milne, I can struggle with.

Out of interest - when did you read the Spotlights? After the main series? I'm wondering whats the best way of reading through the IDW-verse when I recommend it to a friend.

[Impactor returns 2.0]

Id deff say the artowork is technically superior in almost everyway but I do find it hard to penertrate sometimes, its as if theres almost too much detail, which sounds daft I know but i think it can break up the flow of the panels.
Not a massive gripe I know but if I were pushed to say what doesnt quite sit right in my head, that would be it.

Well, I read the first 6 spotlights to begin with as I have that collectors TPB. and this was because it was the first issue in the pile!
Then I read the main story arc - and finally the rest of the spotlights in no perticular order.

Looking back I think u can pretty much read the main arc, and the where they reference the spotlights you could read them thier and then. and then all the other spotlights after u have finished the main story arc. I dont think you would be in danger of missing anything this way and its probably less confusing to the reader, if anything it just fills in a few blanks.

I must admit that one of my fav things about the new comics is the use of these spotlights and the way in which the main arc ties them all together, its rather cool!

Oh, and Cybertronian forms...I love them... and F-22 Seekers, so cool...

[Predabot]

Nice little review Mark, pretty sounds like you've got a grip of it.

I can actually name ONE of those memorable moments, and that's Thunderwing's final charge against Prime, as his Ultra-Energon is running out.
Some classic Prime there, showing why he's the 'god-damn' Captain America of TF, beating a foe that's almost immeasurably more powerful than himself.

I'm a bit surprised that you haven't mentioned the at times somewhat spotty colour-work however? A few times it's great, often the time it's decent to good, and then there are times when it's obviously rushed and quite dreck.