AHM #9 Review (SPOLIERS)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:41 pm

What's that word you Brits use again?

Oh yeah. "Gash".

Probably one of the more woeful issues of AHM thus far, both art and storywise.

It's amazing how substandard artwork can detract from a story that has hinged a great deal on Guido's wonderful pencils. Just visually very bland.

Storywise, nothing really happened. Just some minor fallout from last issue, with more bickering amongst the Autobot ranks and more appearances from humans that we don't really care about. Unfortunately, I found Prime's return very anticlimatic.

Basically, things that we expected to happen happened. Prime returns. Ironhide apologizes to Mirage, Mirage gets pissed and walks away. Sideswipe cries over spilled Streaker. Very predictable. When the writing gets predicatable, it gets boring.

Which is how I would sum up this issue. Boring.

Did like the idea of the humans finding Shockwave's gun in the ground, and basing their new weapon tech on that. But when I spend $4.00, I expect at least $3 worth of story. Got $1 worth instead.

Talk about sucking the wind out of the sails.

Give it a "D+". Too harsh? Well, when you gain some momentum, you want to see a follow through. This issue hurts more because it stands in comparison to the preceding one.

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:31 am

I was afraid of this when I saw the infamous "button fly" page.

It seems AHM is going to be a few flashes of excellence in a mediocre-to-Godawful story.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:21 am

This was the first issue of the series that I actively disliked. I thought the Soundwave/Frenzy (Rumble?) thing was nice, though.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:05 am

I have this comic sitting next to me.

I've flicked through the first couple of pages after the preview.

I'm honestly finding it difficult to be bothered to read the rest. Honestly, it's right there. I just have to pick it up, open it and point my eyes at it for ten minutes, but I'm feeling so apathetic towards it right now that it just seems like a waste of my time.

I'll give it another try later.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:15 pm

Metal Vendetta wrote:I just have to pick it up, open it and point my eyes at it for ten minutes

Ten minutes??? I'm normally done with AHM in about two... three for the recent ones that have actually had dialogue...

Mr_Tigg · Post by **Mr_Tigg** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:52 pm

Got a chance to check this out today at my local LCS.

Really, really bad issue, possibly the worst one yet. Some of the dialogue is appalling. I mean Furman's human character's weren't exactly the best, but jeeez-uuuusss, McCarthy is hitting whole new lows.

Totally agree with Yaya's post - the art is terrible in places (Rumble's smoking face with super-imposed fire effects over the top is crap crap crap). Speaking of which, why have the cons gone from being immune to a missile barrage (Issue 1-2) to being taken out by an RPG to the face.

Prime's opening rallying speech was another weak moment, just another generic, cliche-ridden chunk of dialogue. It reminded me of Elizabeth Swan's rallying speech in the third pirates film (i.e. cringy and embarassing).

Every issue of this series, baring the last one, has been mediocre to *****.

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:30 am

I read this in the story. It was ****.

The art was ****, the story had noooo explanation for how Prime got up and gave a motivational speech... and the big reveal of the Shockwave gun coming as #9 in a 12-issue series just felt like "wow, this would have worked so much better if you hadn't spent so much time wanking."

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:24 pm

"Autobots! It is I, Optimus Prime, who hath returneth to you from the nearly dead. Autobots, I know our situation is grim. Our ranks have been greatly reduced. Many of our beloved comrades have bitten yon dust. We are fraught, depressed, distracted, self-hating. As we languish here, the Decepticons can only be growing in power, making of themselves a vast and evil galactic empire. Truly this is our darkest hour.

Nevertheless, I must ask that you please take care not to tread on the flowers when we next have a pop at Megs and pals. We don't want to look like hooligans.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 9:15 pm

******* hell. This damn thing is still going?

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 2:53 am

spiderfrommars wrote:******* hell. This damn thing is still going?

Stop bickering.

You're starting to sound like an Autobot stuck on Cybertron, or something.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 5:48 pm

One of the things that has really bothered me this series, aside from the glacial pacing, has been the way Prime has been handled.

In this instance, Prime being out of the picture and his subsequent return have been some of the most anticlimatic moments in TF comic history. Truly wasted potential.

When the big guy is out of the picture for nine months, when the Autobots find themselves in desperate straits, when all seems to be lost, Prime's comeback should really resonate with the fans.

It should really make the hair stand up on the back of our neck, should take us back to Marvel #12 when he finally got his head back on straight(literally) after what seemed an eternity, and just like back then, make the child in us just erupt with a big "Hell YES!".

Instead, we get this sort of mysterious build up issue after issue, only to have Prime just walk into the room a few pages after Ratchet gives his dire prognosis about Prime's fate.

Very, very lazy writing, IMO.

Didn't really think a Prime moment could have been as anticlimatic as was the end of Stormbringer, when Prime's cliche soliloquy bores Thunderwing to a halt (okay, it wasn't that, but it would have been equally as effective as letting Thunderwing run out of gas), but I have to say, Shane one-ups Simon in this issue.

Prime Directive wasn't the best piece of work, but even that story from DW had that shining moment where Prime faces off against Devestator in downtown San Fran, and wins the day.

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:13 pm

Yar Yar wrote:
It should really make the hair stand up on the back of our neck, should take us back to Marvel #12 when he finally got his head back on straight(literally) after what seemed an eternity, and just like back then, make the child in us just erupt with a big "Hell YES!".

I remember having pretty much that reaction to that issue.

Didn't really think a Prime moment could have been as anticlimatic as was the end of Stormbringer, when Prime's cliche soliloquy bores Thunderwing to a halt (okay, it wasn't that, but it would have been equally as effective as letting Thunderwing run out of gas), but I have to say, Shane one-ups Simon in this issue.

bwa ha ha ha... bores Thunderwing to death... I had the same thought when I was reading it.

Prime Directive wasn't the best piece of work, but even that story from DW had that shining moment where Prime faces off against Devestator in downtown San Fran, and wins the day.

Prime Directive "wasn't the best piece of work" in the sense that Pat Lee "wasn't the most responsible guy around."

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:20 pm

do the IDW forums still generally support this?

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:13 pm

I don't think the IDW forums have ever generally supported it, but they've always been home to the highest concentration of AHM fans on the web. Even most of them have had to admit to being disappointed with this issue, so the wrangling over excessive meanness and negativity has shifted to a more general 'AHM-haters don't respect the creators and other human beings' affair. There's also been the odd murmuring - unbelievably - of 'wait 'til it's finished and read it as a whole before it's judged'.

Most of the positivity, meanwhile, is being redirected towards Coda and the announcement of an ongoing series. I'm looking forward to: "It's not fair to judge McCarthy on one 12 issue miniseries - he needed to set the scene."

Post by **Best First** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:18 pm

Yaya wrote:Shane one-ups Simon in this issue.

i am so sick of your anti-Furman bias

Just read this. After last issue it was nice to get back to thinking AHM is rubbish again.

In amongst the general crapness and absurdly tight t-shirts the bit that irked me by far the most was the bit where a millions of years old being, who has been fighting for ever and a day suddenly has a crisis of faith because a fellow soldier dies.

"oh, hang on, this war lark is a bit corrupting is it not? I think we should pack it in. Sorry for not piping up 3 millions years ago but i was busy quipping while punching Thundercracker in the face"

edit - has an ongoing been confirmed then? Who is helming? He asks foolishly...

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:35 am

Best First wrote: edit - has an ongoing been confirmed then? Who is helming? He asks foolishly...

Don't think we know yet.

In corresponding with Ryall, he mentioned to me that the next three years has been roughly mapped out, and he said he's more excited by the prospects of what's to come than he has been since acquiring the license.

Anyhoo, just the idea of needing a "Coda" is ridiculous after giving AHM a year, a freakin year, to fill the gaps.

Though I do believe Furman fans will enjoy it much more than AHM, as it will likely be geared towards what Simon set up.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:16 am

Yaya wrote: In corresponding with Ryall, he mentioned to me that the next three years has been roughly mapped out, and he said he's more excited by the prospects of what's to come than he has been since acquiring the license.

Hate to say it but i don't put much stock in what Chris R says anymore - such statements mirror what he said about AHM.

On another note i am enjoying the idea of a CR Chamber with a "Do not repair badge" setting.

inflatable dalek · Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:58 am

Yaya wrote: In corresponding with Ryall, he mentioned to me that the next three years has been roughly mapped out, and he said he's more excited by the prospects of what's to come than he has been since acquiring the license.

Isn't about three years how far Furman had it all planned out when he started? See, there's still hope that someone will set fire to McCarthy forcing someone else to come in and make up some new **** before then...

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:29 am

inflatable dalek wrote:Isn't about three years how far Furman had it all planned out when he started?

Didn't Furman get about three years? Infiltration started at the end of 2005.

inflatable dalek · Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:32 am

Go and ruin my last best hope why don't you. There's no way I can't see McCarthy not getting the ongoing. Not hiring him would basically be admitting he's ***** which their ego's don't seem to want to admit. And it's not as if any other big job offers are likely to keep him away from IDW any time soon.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:48 am

i think McCarthy is just not that man for the job - if he had been given a bit more time to hone his skills on smaller projects (maybe an insecticon mini?) and then graduated to the full title... i dunno, as it stands AHM just wanders all over the place in terms of plot, tone, continuity and quality.

In fairness though i sense the hand of editorial in some decisions that have been made.

On Furman his expctation was obvioulsy to get more than what he got as evidenced by the clear truncation of his run and several dangling threads.

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:51 am

inflatable dalek wrote:Go and ruin my last best hope why don't you.

And thus my quota for the day is filled.