Spotlight Jazz Review (SPOILERS)

[Yaya]

Before I read this issue, I was torn on what kind of approach I should take in judging it, knowing that some 'newbie' fans like myself were the ones breaking it out.

I decided, "Hey, if I'm paying the $3.99 to read it, then I should not evaluate with kid gloves on, I should evaluate it just as I would any other Spotlight comic".

So I did just that.

And loved it.

From start to finish, this story kept my attention, and as the story unfolded whilst reading it, I think a congratulative smile kind of crept onto my face.

So yeah, congrats to you guys for putting this together. I found it to be just the kind of tale that got me into Transformers in the first place, full of heart and spirit with just the right amount of suspense, action, and humor. What a spotlight should be, really.

In particular, I applaud the decision to include a two-page spread of Jazz going at it with Razorclaw. Some might find this wasted space, but I have found that these kind of battles have been somewhat neglected of late. I think Prime vs. Megs in Escalation was maybe the last time such focus had been put on a fight.

And let's face it, these are the kind of battles that cemented our love of Transformers in our youth, and it's nice to rekindle a bit of that now and then.

Also, nice use of 'tech'. These are robots, after all, so it's nice to see the use of a cable-toted camera retracting from Jazz's wrist, for example, and the static-like vision from Tracks damaged optics. Nice touches.

I am hardpressed to find something I didn't like, but if put to the task, i would say the Predacons were too easily taken out. One could still rationalize this, though, by saying they had not faced an opponent with the cunning, guile, and heart of Jazz. So it still works on some level, IMO.

One of the best Spotlight yet to see print.

Strong work.

Give it an "A".

With MD #4, twas a great day to be a TF comic fan.

[Jack Cade]

Relief is clouding your judgment, Yaya!

For me, this was a comic of two halves. The flashback scenes were generally well done and finely balanced (as you said on the IDW forums, the fact that Jazz *should*, by rights, have gone down fighting is crucial to the credibility of the story) but the scenes set in the present were mawkish and contorted around the need to fit it into the AHM 1-6 timeline.

I love EJ's design for Cybertronian Jazz but he's clearly not very comfortable with either Don's Predacon designs or the Universe/G1 chassis of the Autobots. He also underperforms, I think, on panels where he's asked to draw a lot of robots at once. But the fight scenes were terrific.

One other note - not sure who's responsible, but it seems odd to have the Predacons, who're trackers and hunters, change into tracked artillery/heavy firepower vehicles. Lighter, all terrain cars would suit them better, no?

[Yaya]

For me, this was a comic of two halves. The flashback scenes were generally well done and finely balanced (as you said on the IDW forums, the fact that Jazz *should*, by rights, have gone down fighting is crucial to the credibility of the story)

For me, this made the biggest difference in making that essential departure from glorified fanwankery. Had Jazz actually took out Razorclaw, it would have felt like a Mosaic from a 13-year old.

but the scenes set in the present were mawkish and contorted around the need to fit it into the AHM 1-6 timeline.

Surely this isn't the fault of the writer, though? I mean, it was intended to fit into IDW continuity. To be honest, I didn't even think of it as taking place during AHM. Just didn't really cross my mind. I enjoyed the story for what it was.

I admit, though, that the growing crowd of Autobots sitting around Tracks as if they were next to some campfire as he unfolds his tale was cheese-wiz.

Nevertheless, the positives here for me certainly outweight the negatives.

[BB Shockwave]

I give it a 'C', if I need to use this system.

It was much more enjoyable then AHM, but it suffers from some flaws. I could tell this was written by beginners just from the first few pages - they drag things out which could have been said and done in a few panels.

Tracks especially felt like a weird choice for the narrator. His personality, as we know it, doesn't really shows anywhere in this tale. IMHO, a bot whom we know already has some issues with being an Autobot, like Mirage, would have worked better.

The flashback scenes were better then the narrative story - though I couldn't help but feel, especially with the strangely copter-like Bot ships, that I was watching a typical Hollywood movie about Vietnam where the heroic soldier saves the wounded fellow.

Jazz's personality really shines here, and I must say he was well introduced as a resourcefull soldier and a charismatic leader, something AHM only tried to accomplish by showing him ninja-kick Springer and Blurr. That was the part I liked.

The part I did not... again, pacing. Jazz has a lot of time to talk things over with Tracks, while the Predacons patiently wait 10 meters from there, and do not know where the Bots are?

And here comes the thing that I disliked the most, the handling of the Preds. I mean... if these guys are Megatron's elite, where is he hiring? At Maccadam's? They stand out into the street, without cover, while knowing that both Jazz and Tracks are armed, and Jazz is a sharpshooter...
Then they let Jazz sneak up on them in typical bad guy overconfidence... Surely, a good hunter/tracker knows that if there are 5 of them, at least one of them should be facing backwards...

And Razorclaw. I really liked his Carnivac-like honorabale personality in Stormbringer, but it only shows in bits here. (Though, I chuckled when he was constantly interrupted in his "honorable" before-battle speeches, those speeches irk me to no amount in animes, they are so unrealistic. At least Jazz shares my view).
Also, Razorclaw saying he's losing his patience is like Shockwave going all emotional and bursting into a song... patience is Razorclaw's greatest asset and character trait.

The designs - frankly, I didn't like Cybertronian Jazz, too earth-like for me. And Tracks too, why is he just like the G1 toy? We already had a great Don Figueroa TWW Tracks design as a hovercar, they could have gone with that.

The Preds are also Figueroa-designed, Cade, some of them have been shown as these in TWW already. Must say I like Divebomb, Razorclaw and Rampage, but the 'legs' (Headstron and Tantrum) are just big blocks in alt. mode - I know, the G1 toys were too, but still. IMHO Headstrong should have bigger rockets on his 'horn'.

Btw, anyone know where to find the design sheets for the preds? Were they in the Stormbringer TPB?

The art was great, but maybe because of the coloring I never even realized it was Su. Looked a lot different, for me - I even wrote on another forum that I'd like to see more from this artist...

[Jack Cade]

Surely this isn't the fault of the writer, though?

Eh? Who else's fault is it? I guess it could have been at the behest of the editors, but still, it's a problem with the writing. The fact is that Tracks' tale should really be the kind of thing most of these characters have lived through countless times and don't need lecturing about, and it doesn't work particularly well as a pep talk.

And here comes the thing that I disliked the most, the handling of the Preds. I mean... if these guys are Megatron's elite, where is he hiring? At Maccadam's? They stand out into the street, without cover, while knowing that both Jazz and Tracks are armed, and Jazz is a sharpshooter...
Then they let Jazz sneak up on them in typical bad guy overconfidence... Surely, a good hunter/tracker knows that if there are 5 of them, at least one of them should be facing backwards...

Actually, I agree with this. I hadn't thought about it much because I'm not a big Pred fan anyway, and I was more concerned about the portrayal of Jazz, but they are actually quite badly written in this respect.[/code]

[Yaya]

And here comes the thing that I disliked the most, the handling of the Preds. I mean... if these guys are Megatron's elite, where is he hiring? At Maccadam's? They stand out into the street, without cover, while knowing that both Jazz and Tracks are armed, and Jazz is a sharpshooter...
Then they let Jazz sneak up on them in typical bad guy overconfidence... Surely, a good hunter/tracker knows that if there are 5 of them, at least one of them should be facing backwards...

Actually, I agree with this. I hadn't thought about it much because I'm not a big Pred fan anyway, and I was more concerned about the portrayal of Jazz, but they are actually quite badly written in this respect.[/code]

This is what I least liked as well. Just as it irks me the way Simon dumbs down the Dinobots, considered the Autobots elite force, in this issue the writers dumb down the talents of the Predacons.

So I agree with you and BB here, definitely a weakness.

[Predabot]

I enjoyed it.

'Twas good fun, altho a little bit rough on the edges. I think these lads could have a future in the medium if they keep giving it their best.

The lads have a good grasp on the character of Jazz, and the bot finally gets some much needed ( pardon the pun) spotlight.

I think the thing with Jazz being a little bit TOO awesome than is credible, is given a nice kind of out with the fact that the story Tracks tells is just a story, to get the spirits of the other bots up. It's probably changed quite a bit trough the years.

I'm willing to give the boys a chance, as long as they get these sort of jobs off the beaten path a little bit. Get them into the groove so to speak. ( bligh me... that another pun, now 'innit?)

[bumblemusprime]

Preds, you bloody wanker.

I could tell it was a bit inexpertly written by the fact that there were so many words on the page when there really could have been less. New comics writers tend to clutter up pages with dialogue. However, Josh and Shaun are nowhere near as awful with this particular tendency as Mad Brick. Anyone remember the 7-point font of explanations about the Great Shutdown at the end of W&P?

I had fun with the comic. A lot of fun. I mean, it seems like a good chunk of their script was taken up by the words, "EJ, draw some awesome fight scenes." How can you go wrong?

[Metal Vendetta]

It really did feel like someone's Mosaic taken full-length.

Then again, it wasn't nearly as bad as, say, any issue taken from a series witht he word 'Megatron' in the title.

A solid C+, I suppose.

[Shanti418]

I liked it enough, but it definitely felt cookie cutter cliche cheesy cardboard storytelling. I'm with you BB on those 80s action movie 'Bot copters. B-. Would have been a C, but Jazz is just that bad ass.

[Metal Vendetta]

...it irks me the way Simon dumbs down the Dinobots, considered the Autobots elite force...

Sorry, but I just spotted that's absolute bollocks.

When have the Dinobots ever been the Autobots' elite force? In the cartoon they were portrayed as the dumbest ****ing ****s in the whole Autobot army. Bob Bud started well but turned Grimlock into a preening tyrant and the rest of them into his banner-bearers. Dreamwave made Grimlock a Decepticon for ****'s sake.

Furman has constistently written the Dinobots as smart and resourceful, if unconventional, individuals for the past twenty-odd years. I really have no idea where you're coming from on this, but please, take off the tinfoil hat and we'll talk.

[Guest]

...it irks me the way Simon dumbs down the Dinobots, considered the Autobots elite force...

Sorry, but I just spotted that's absolute bollocks.

When have the Dinobots ever been the Autobots' elite force?

I wonder if Yaya has somehow got confused with Marvel UK's Swoop having been a member of the Autobots' Elite Flying Corps, back on Cybertron.

The other Autobots who became Dinobots never were members of the Corps. And anyway, the 'elite' status was a reflection of the fact that of the toys available at the time, Swoop was one of, what, 3? Autobots that had flying alt-modes.

[Yaya]

...it irks me the way Simon dumbs down the Dinobots, considered the Autobots elite force...

Sorry, but I just spotted that's absolute bollocks.

Yeah, "dumb down' was a poor choice of words.

I didn't mean intellectually, but more in the competence department. For example, in the cartoon they were always sent against Devestator, in Bob's run they take on Shockers and Megs, take out Trypticon, etc.

Though the are amongst the dumbest of the lot, they are also (or should be, which was my point), the most feared.

[snarl]

TBF, they danced the dance to a standstill with Shockers in the IDW universe, who lets face it came across as pretty ****** tasty... and that was basicaly that for all concerned...

It's not like having "missing presumed dead via a ruck with one of the cream de la cream of the con army" on your file could be seen as being mugged off in any way is it?

As for MD 4, yeah, totally agree with the "this is proper Marvel UK TFs all over again" opinion that is coming across...

And this is how it used to be when it was at it best. We have the "filler" issues which are just a bit hectic, lots happening, maybe its not that cerebral (but without being stupid) but in this issue there are nice character moments, although the retread of the Dynobots / Grimlock indifference isn't really explored that well... but overall, it is ****** good stuff, we get the major playwers juggled in a satisfying way, and we get what revelation never had...

And what I hope we have now.

4 issue stage setter, and now a potential UM V Galvatron T2006 payoff issue. We've got all the badboys assembled, got all the backstory, now it's just ******* ruck time... And what Simon used to do beautifaully, and I hope to god does here, is we come into the issue and it's mid fight, we get an internal dialogue of some guy telling us about an off panle death / beat down or two, so we have a bit of weight to the confict, and then we just watch the fight to conclusion.

Im pretty sure this is what we'll get. And I cannot wait.

[BB Shockwave]

The preview of MD5 suggest Shocky is indeed there to get his revenge - apparently he got a taste for emotions back when the Dynobots attacked him... And Grimlock, after Sludge dies, finally realises the price others pay for his recklessness, and orders his Bots to leave while he goes to 'finish' things.

This should prove interesting... very interesting indeed.

[Best First]

Finally read SL: Jazz.

Thought it was cheesy. In a good way. Not the best thing ever, but fun and pretty charming.

With EJ Su. Boom.

[Brendocon]

Valid point whoever said it earlier about the Preds being Fig designs - had forgotten that, and it explains why they just looked awkward.

For example, in the cartoon they were always

"locked in a cupboard" is the only accurate way to end that sentence. Unless we're post-movie, when it's "used for awful comic relief".

I wonder if Yaya has somehow got confused with Marvel UK's Swoop having been a member of the Autobots' Elite Flying Corps, back on Cybertron.

Though he only joined up because he thought it was the Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps.

[Metal Vendetta]

I didn't mean intellectually, but more in the competence department. For example, in the cartoon they were always sent against Devestator, in Bob's run they take on Shockers and Megs, take out Trypticon, etc.

Though the are amongst the dumbest of the lot, they are also (or should be, which was my point), the most feared.

We've only really seen them go up against Shockwave (who's been beefed up in IDW) and mass armies of clones. When we did see them taking on ordinary 'Cons in the flashback, they annihilated them. I've not read MD#5 yet, so I can't vouch for how it turns out, but I think the IDW Dynobots have proved that they're capable of holding their own in a ruck.

[BB Shockwave]

Shortpacked's take on Spotlight Jazz.

Sooo true...