Heart of Darkness # 2 Preview

Mr_Tigg · Post by **Mr_Tigg** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:38 pm

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-com ... ess-2-975/

Holy crap that is some bad art!

Dialogue seems a bit flat too (I quote "dear stars above").

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:56 pm

HoD was my return to IDW Transformer comics... purchased solely on the basis that it was written by DnA (hoping that, as they were advertised as the new writing "mainstays," that it meant they would be taking over the ongoing sooner or later). Didn't know the artist, but preordered it, anyway.

When I saw the artist's DA page, I was worried, as his style didn't really look compatible with TFs...

HoD #1 was passable, I guess, story-wise. Didn't blow me away, to be honest. But I thought the art was pretty poor. And not just incompatible styles, either (he does seem to be suited to other things, just maybe not Transformers)- but, stylistic choices aside, basic perspective and proportion issues were pretty prevelant. The second issue preview seems to be more of the same on both fronts.

Very disappointing... especially when the series was clearly designed to coax back lapsed readers like myself. Wish I hadn't preordered.

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:52 pm

That's too bad. Infestation was ten times more enjoyable because Nick drew it.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:31 pm

Just read #2. Eeesh.

The art and dialogue in this are some of the worst yet from IDW. I mean, we're talking early 1980's level dialogue here, something that would appeal to a kid the age of 12 with Bazooka Joe bubble gum wrapper level penciling. Except no gum. Damn.

And there were power level inconsistencies galore throughout, with Arcee and Hardhead single-handedly taking out Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge with ridiculous, sarcastic insult-tossing ease. Seriously, the Decepticons in this are a bunch of lame wusses. Which is even more jarring, given these four are supposed to be amongst the most powerful Decepticons in the TF universe.

Oh, and the Swarm is back! So cool to get back into G2 continuity. Oh wait. Not the Swarm. The, ahem, D-Void. A force on unknown origin that feeds on the life force of robotic sparks. Yeah. I know. The Swarm. And looks like we're getting the ole Autobot/Decepticon team-up to combat it, just as we did with G2.

Give this a "D". If I'm a 12 year-old kid who's never read a TF comic before, I might have liked it. But I'm a grown man who paid $4 for this. Despite it's attempt to tap into the past continuity laid down by Furman, it sure feels like we're in some other universe with this. The premise of Galvatron as defender could be a fun one, but with so many other glaring weaknesses, I doubt I'm going to have something nice to say by stories end. I actually preferred issue #18 of the ongoing to this. At least Costa's work usually gives us good dialogue.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:32 pm

Christ, that artwork *IS* utter gash, isn't it?

I'm no Senior, but even *I* draw TFs better than that!

Grab one of the Mosaic artists right now and stick them on this title, IDW! Any of them will be better.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:43 pm

IDW is sinking lower and lower.

You can't tell me that Simon would not have desired to be the one to carry on what he started with the Dead Universe? Would he not have been a better choice here by far?

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:49 pm

JaJa wrote:But I'm a grown man who paid $4 for this.

10 words. The entirety of all Transfans discussion for the last three years in 10 words.

Sir, I salute you.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:26 am

I'm torn. I didn't like the art. I didn't like the dialog. But I think the story itself is full of potential.

It's kind of how I feel about Power Rangers.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:19 am

A couple of us on FB declared yesterday "Draw Galvatron better than Ulises Farinas day".

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 3:45 pm

I'm thinking DnA did'nt get the memo that, just as TF comics have matured through the years, so have the people reading them.

It's almost as if they were like "yeah, we worked on Annihilation at Marvel, but now we're doing TF, so we better take things down a bit for the kiddies".

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:05 pm

Damn, Yaya. That is some HARSH criticism!

Hook2 · Post by **Hook2** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:44 am

I really liked Infestation. And HoD 1 had some pretty good writing. The story started out to be rather intriguing for me because I have always wanted to know what the heck was going on with the dead universe. And sine Infestation, DnA were bringing back plot threads which the ongoing seemed to have just forgotten. But the dialogue in issue2...

Did the same guys behind Infestation actually write this? It reminds me of 70s and 80's era marvel or dc.

"Oh my stars and garters!"

"Great Caesar's Ghost!"

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:24 pm

Professor Smooth wrote:Damn, Yaya. That is some HARSH criticism!

If Yaya is known for anything, it is for not going easy on TF comics.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 6:34 pm

PS- we weren't supposed to like it because it was written "for a younger audience."

Whatever the hell that means. Transformers is obstensibly already "for a younger audience" but this was the book meant to draw back long time readers and lead up to Chaos, dealing with tons of old continuity. SOUNDS KID FRIENDLY TO ME!!! *pant*

PPS- I've decided that the artist reminds me of Manny Galan. Not because they were both terrible (insert rimshot here), but because they were both capable artists that were utterly miscast on Transformers.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:42 am

bumblemusprime wrote:
Professor Smooth wrote:Damn, Yaya. That is some HARSH criticism!
If Yaya is known for anything, it is for not going easy on TF comics.

Methinks he has turned a corner recently.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:07 pm

Read my sig guys. Yoyo is coming.....

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 2:52 pm

Yoyo's been coming for a long time. My wife is wondering if this Yoyo guy can give me some pointers.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Wed May 04, 2011 3:37 pm

Finally read it.

Huh.

The art... Boy, it's disappointing to get the Casey Coller cover and opening the book to find... well... it's still, let's just say "miscast" and move on.

The story...

I dunno. How many times does Galvatron need to be reduced to atoms or whatever? I mean, I saw this last issue. Some stuff happens or something. Hardhead is a tool. Cyclonus and Scourge are goofy cannon fodder like they're right out of Headmasters. And 'bots say "GREAT PRIMUS" a lot. There's a wacky two page spread (PS Galvatron isn't Megatron in this continuity, at least that we know of). There's the "D-VOID." And Arcee freaks out.

That's pretty much it.

I feel like I was suckered into buying this, as DnA were advertised as the "new writing mainstays" on Transformers- I guess it was my assumption that they were gonna come in and "fix" everything (and I believe CHris Ryall did say something along the lines of "DnA are part of the plan to make every one happy again"), so I preordered Infestation and this blind, assuming that it was a run up to their writing Chaos or taking over the ongoing. What a load of goods I was sold in believing this to be the case. I didn't mind Infestation, but it didn't blow me away by any means. This, on the other hand, should be awesome... dealing with Galvatron, the Dead Universe... actual continuity... but it reads like puerile fan fic. Strike the fan fic part- I've read much better fan fic!

Very, very disappointed in DnA, the art, and IDW in general. But don't worry, fans are "getting it," and things are getting better!

Blech.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Wed May 04, 2011 8:17 pm

From what I've seen of this, i'd rather have this than the on-going any day.
Sure, the arts a bit crappy and the dialogue isn't superb, but i enjoy it more than I did the ongoing.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu May 05, 2011 12:47 am

Legion wrote:From what I've seen of this, i'd rather have this than the on-going any day.
Sure, the arts a bit crappy and the dialogue isn't superb, but i enjoy it more than I did the ongoing.

I think it's actually worse than the ongoing. The fact that it's Simon's stuff all gruesomely distorted and mangled just takes my dislike of it to a whole new level.

And these guys are sucking on the cosmic stuff at Marvel too. Annihilators is such a bore. After reading their work, it's become apparent to me they are one-trick ponies when it comes to writing. Everything they do seems the same.

Post by **Best First** » Thu May 05, 2011 12:08 pm

Legion wrote:From what I've seen of this, i'd rather have this than the on-going any day.
Sure, the arts a bit crappy and the dialogue isn't superb, but i enjoy it more than I did the ongoing.

i agree.

Plus it had toy Galvy in it.

Post by **snarl** » Mon May 09, 2011 2:15 pm

I thought this was a bit wank. Not total wank, but a bit wank.