Transformers #2 Review (SPOILERS)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 2:50 am

Having a TF comic that takes longer than a minute to read is certainly a welcome change. That's the first sign that something positive is happening here.

But there are other signs as well. This second issue further sets the stage for things to come, which IMO, look to be entertaining. There's something very "UK Marvel" about all of this, which I think is a good thing.

I think what lends itself to feeling like one of the fun UK Marvel romps of times past are two main elements. Already we are seeing an Bot/Con alliance shaping up. Very Furman UK. And secondly, the dialogue. It certainly has it's lighthearted moments, which I admit, brought a smile to my face. Been a while since that happened.

Loving the focus on character and character interaction here. It's going to be key in making this ongoing worth it to me.

On top of that, of course, is Don's fabulous work. Say what you will about the faces, I'm digging this new style. I think it lends itself to creating an overall more serious tone, a far departure from that old cartoony feel that has been done to death. Trying something new is always a risk, but then, it's the taking of those risks creatively that can lead to better and brighter things.

Some things were annoying, like calling Octane "Tankor" and Bluestreak "Silverstreak" for the sake of the toy. No doubt Hasbro mandate. Minor quibble, so I'll let it slide. And of course, the humans continue to have little appeal. Does Bumblebee as leader make sense? Hmmm. Not sure, but given the departure of so many other more worthy bots, it might not be so far-fetched a selection. No doubt this is what the Bumblebee mini will hit on.

All in all, I'm digging this. Best stuff since Roche's spotlights. Give it a "B+". Looking forward to how the whole Magnus thing plays out.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:06 am

Wait - Bumblebee????

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:42 am

Alright, Transformers Comics, you gave us Ratbat as Decepticon leader, so I'll grant you Bumblebee. But I'd better be able to make fun of this 24 years from now...

I'm serious. Buster Witwicky and the Carwash of Doom type stuff here. You give me Hunter O'Nion and the Triple-Changer Prince, The Big Le-Bumblebee-owski, or Jazz and Verity go to White Castle, and I'm in.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:49 am

Also Swindle is leading the cons now, apparently....

I'm still not sold on this. The review at TFormers is taking the changes to continuity too lightly... Though they were too stumped at the womanizing, "cool" Spike who drives in a deactivated Breakdown to pick up girls. Seriously.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:53 am

BB Shockwave wrote:Also Swindle is leading the cons now, apparently....

I kinda dig that, to be honest. Cheney-style...but WITH style!

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:22 pm

Professor Smooth wrote:
BB Shockwave wrote:Also Swindle is leading the cons now, apparently....
I kinda dig that, to be honest. Cheney-style...but WITH style!

I liked it too. I think that's another reason it reminded me of UK Marvel.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:43 pm

Yaya wrote:Some things were annoying, like calling Octane "Tankor" and Bluestreak "Silverstreak" for the sake of the toy. No doubt Hasbro mandate.

If so, Hasbro have started actually paying attention to the comics a lot more than during Furman's G1 run... I'm still praying for Rob Tokar to dig out that story where giant nuns battle mechanical sheep and everybody dies...

Professor Smooth wrote:The Big Le-Bumblebee-owski, or Jazz and Verity go to White Castle, and I'm in.

I'd pay to see those.

Why do I suddenly feel that replacing Michael Bay with Terry Gilliam sounds like a FANTASTIC idea...

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:42 pm

I read it, even more dissapointed.

Swindle is not really the Con leader, he's just... around. Which is odd, considering he has an established smuggling business to take care of, he won't make any profit here.

Hot Rod is very, very annoying. And no reason is given why suddenly he's such a popular and important character that guys like Prowl or Jetfire silently follow him everywhere in awe.

The Bot election is handled as if done by an idiot. Certainly, a huge organization like the Autobots (remember in Escalation it was shown Prime rarely left Home Base) has a strict hierarchy, and there should have been people like Jazz, Prowl or Kup selected as candidates... instead for no apparent reason then that the writer wants to put BB into a strange situation, the little nobody is selected for Autobot leader. Silly.

There is an obligatory fight (with Thundercracker appearing alive and well despite very clearly having his head blown off in AHM) that again leads nowhere... Scrapper is out for "revenge" instead of, you know, trying to get off this rock. Again, no explanation is given how or why the Cons left so many soldiers behind, when they were in a winning position when they left Earth.

The faces are still ugly - Andy Turbull did a funny comic suggesting Skeletor is the new stylist - although the rest of the art is nice.

Oh and Hasbro is, first time since Marvel US, again mucking into continuity because of toys. Octane is now Tankor, and Hot Rod is shown as "Rodimus" on the Con's detector.

Apart from Wreckers, I am not really looking forward to any more of this G1 continuity....

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 2:31 pm

BB Shockwave wrote:I read it, even more dissapointed.

I've noticed something, BB. We have exactly opposite tastes when it comes to Transformers.

I kind of use you as a barometer for whether I'm going to like something. If you don't, I usually do. And vice versa.

Not that you're wrong or I'm right. Just an interesting observation I've made.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:22 pm

Whereas I'm very much in BB's camp here. I want LSOTW to come round and take the pain away.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:29 pm

Yaya wrote:
BB Shockwave wrote:I read it, even more dissapointed.
I've noticed something, BB. We have exactly opposite tastes when it comes to Transformers.

It took you this long to figure that out?

Though in my defense, it is you who has changed your taste - I have always been and always remain a stubbornly conservative Furmanist. Way I remember, you did not dislike Furman's work this much during Dreamwave's tenure - or was it just that next to Mad Brick you preferred it to their G1 cartoony mess of an ongoing comic?

As much as I'd like the whole IDW storyline to take a 180 degrees turn and go back to the 'Ion' series, with maybe Simon and Roche co-writing in turns, I know that is not really possible. I guess I am pampered... With TFs, Marvel had only two writers (ignore those few one-issue guys like Man of Iron, or Plight of Bumblebee or Crisis of Command (which was an ace story BTW - we should look up that writer someday)). If I would follow other comics like Batman or X-Men with this much interest, I'd probably get used to reboots or drastic character personality and look changes every third month. But with TFs, my logic dictates that they should go with one consistent storyline and a few mainstay writers for G1 and stick with it - newcomers can muck around with the 20-so other TF continuities from BW to Bayformers.

Post by **Best First** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 1:16 pm

After my kabooming of 1 i actually thought this was a signficant impriovement - there is still a lot wrong in terms of the status quo and i agree about the election thing but i'm getting used to the art (is it moe ro was it toned down a bit?) and the con interaction was nice.

As an aside do we think Swindle is rtunning a scam on Rod's - is that the idea?

On a more critical note Prowl following Hot Rod around seems like utter cock.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:26 pm

Best First wrote: As an aside do we think Swindle is rtunning a scam on Rod's - is that the idea?

I would say more than likely. I wonder if Magnus' arrival will play into Swindle's presence on Earth. Can't remember for sure, but didn't Magnus strike a deal with Swindle to let him go by telling him the whereabouts of Scorponok? Guess there isn't a real beef between the two now, right?

On a more critical note Prowl following Hot Rod around seems like utter cock.

According to Costa, Prowl's behavior in the last two issues will be explained later. If McCarthy said this, I would think it hot air. But I'm willing to give Costa the benefit of the doubt here, as I think he's more on the level.

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:08 pm

On the subject of franchise:

Quesada has given a monthly X-Book to Chris Claremont for ten years now, even though the guy is definitely not the writer he was. (Or the 80s were crappy enough that we didn't realize Claremont sucked.)

So given the presence Furman had in shaping the TFs, I don't think it's stupid for us to want a little of the Furster. If IDW had added a bloody two issues to Revelations to let it breathe and had Furman write something other than the Wankverse for the last few years, I would be a lot more openminded about reading their stuff.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:28 am

bumblemusprime wrote: So given the presence Furman had in shaping the TFs, I don't think it's stupid for us to want a little of the Furster. If IDW had added a bloody two issues to Revelations to let it breathe and had Furman write something other than the Wankverse for the last few years, I would be a lot more openminded about reading their stuff.

I'm all for keeping Simon in the mix. He's earned it, and he's proven himself more worthy than most of the other choices. But I don't want to see him on the main book. Certainly some minis or spotlights.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:56 pm

one thing worth noting about issue 2 - it actually came out on time!