Transformers #22 Review (SPOILERS)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 12:51 am

Wow. I think I just read one of the best TF comics ever produced. Ever, as in, since 1984.

For those IDW fans who wondered "Why all the bitching?" about the quality of IDW's recent output over the past two years, perhaps now you will better understand, as you will now have a standard of exemplary writing to which to compare. You will now understand why so many a fan, myself included, were so hopelessly disenchanted with the direction of things.

Well, the luck of those disgruntled fans is about to change. Enter James Roberts. A crafty weaver of TF tales that would certainly turn the heads of Budiansky and Furman in their heydey with this single issue. Respecting continuity, nailing dialogue, reinventing age-old relationships, this issue is the closest thing to a work of art we've had since IDW got the TF license.

It's unexpected, really, to pull this diamond from the rough. I'm stoked. If IDW closed shop today, with this issue, Roberts has made it's mark for them in TF comic lore. It's no easy task to create a new twist on the Prime/Megatron relationship after 25 years. In fact, it would almost take a miracle. And so, Roberts gives us one.

Oh, and the art's good too.

Give it an "A+". The best single issue of TF yet from IDW.

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:19 am

Deeply frightened of the actual content and quality of that issue.

Looking for it!!!

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 1:46 pm

Woah. Time to start collecting again?

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:12 pm

Yaya has it exaclty right.

For those who didn't know or didn't understand or just plain wouldn't accept why we were upset with AHM or the ongoing...

...an issue like this explains it all.

Spider- collect this and the next issue, certainly.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:06 am

It was absolutely brilliant

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:46 am

Seriously the best Transformers comic book ever written. No exceptions. No asterisks. The single best issue of any Transformers comic book since there was such a thing. Absolutely unbelievable.

Stormwolf · Post by **Stormwolf** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:32 pm

I hope you guys aren't being sarcastic, I'll consider buying it if you're serious about it.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:21 am

Why is it that you can't have glowing praise for something on the internet without people thinking you're being sarcastic?

Hot Shot · Post by **Hot Shot** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 8:24 am

I think it's the leap from crap to platinum that's hard to believe.

I picked this up yesterday, and it is indeed aces. Go for it, Stormwolf!

Stormwolf · Post by **Stormwolf** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 8:34 pm

Hot Shot wrote:I think it's the leap from crap to platinum that's hard to believe.

I picked this up yesterday, and it is indeed aces. Go for it, Stormwolf!

Nice, I'll be picking this up then

Stormwolf · Post by **Stormwolf** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 3:42 pm

Got me the issue, gotta say it's good

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:34 pm

All the praise in this thread makes it all the more tragic that I have no intention whatsoever of buying this.

Ship. Sailed.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:38 pm

Honestly can't blame you one bit- but are you going to try the relaunch in January?

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:16 pm

Another one?

Is this a fresh reset or just a "jumping on" point rebrand?

Oh, I don't care either way. Not gonna buy anything IDW put out ever again. And I realise that makes me look like a can't-be-pleased fanboy, but I really have nothing but indifference towards the entire thing. Money, time and ire are all saved this way.

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:27 pm

Unless something massively drastic happens, I'd imagine it'll be a jumping on point more than anything else.

No, no- I can understand PRECISELY where you're coming from. I don't think it's unreasonable to say "screw it" to the IDW books. I mean, I almost didn't preorder James' two issues because of the same mentality (and certainly didn't preorder the Costa/Roberts stuff)- swearing off the ongoing meant swearing off the ongoing to me... and they suckered me in with HoD which was a MASSIVE failure and disappointment... but I wanted to try moving the needle a little bit with buying James' issues.

I will say that I think there is some light at the end of the tunnel with Nick and James doing one book, this Barber cat whom everyone seems to like doing another and the Fur-man himself back with Marvel 81. But my tolerance for problems will be very, very low... and the first time something I don't like crops up, that will probably be the end of new TF comics for me.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:28 pm

Can't fault you for that.

In fact, I sort of respect it, as the lure of the false hope of good TF material has pulled me in time and time again. I keep putting my hand on the proverbial hot stove and get burned over and over but I still dream that it may one day feel like a hot model giving me a warm hand massage.

And I'm kind of getting used to the smell of burnt flesh.

Post by **Best First** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:46 pm

Brend you really should chance your arm on this. Got it today. Best TF comic I have ever read.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 11:21 am

I'll read a scan in a year's time when there's no chance of me getting suckered in to wanting to know what happens next/what I've missed since I stopped reading. IDW do not get my money.*

* except maybe for TPBs of #81 onwards. But that's a separate continuity, so doesn't count.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:11 pm

yeah i'm sure it goes into a seperate bank account

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Sun Jul 31, 2011 8:33 pm

Furman's, for a start.

To clarify, Mr Snarky Snarky Snark Snark, IDW's main continuity books will get not a penny of my moolah.

The jury's out on the Marvel resumption.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 5:28 pm

Once again, here's a review thread with (spoilers) in its title that does not contain any spoilers what-so-ever!

Please make your mind up, spoilers or no spoilers and go with it.

It's just poor form otherwise.

/soapbox

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 7:32 pm

Okay. Ratchet's in it.

Happy?

Post by **Kaylee** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 7:37 pm

Yaya wrote:Okay. Ratchet's in it.

Happy?

And Clank? Is he in it, too?

DJ_Convoy · Post by **DJ_Convoy** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 7:37 pm

SPOILED~!

Hot Shot · Post by **Hot Shot** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:10 pm

Megatron's restrained all BDSM-like, and Prime electro-shocks him while Omega Supreme watches. Happy?

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 12:31 am

Went to the LCSes to get this. One was closed and one didn't stock TFs. Curses!

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:53 am

*****

Post by **Best First** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:56 pm

Legion wrote:Once again, here's a review thread with (spoilers) in its title that does not contain any spoilers what-so-ever!

Please make your mind up, spoilers or no spoilers and go with it.

Basically Shockwave didn't do it - Whirl did.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:18 pm

So it's worth jumping back on here? How long is Roberts on the ongoing?

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 6:38 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:So it's worth jumping back on here? How long is Roberts on the ongoing?

I think he's doing a couple of issues until the Chaos arc kicks off, then Costa is back on. Once Chaos ends, ongoing ends and is relaunched as 2 new ongoings, one of which will be by Roberts.

I think.