Ultra Magnus Spotlight Review (SPOILERS)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:21 am

Well done again, by both Simon and the artistic team.

When you read a Spotlight, you want something that is a succinct clear story in and of itself (which this is) and something that sets things up for future storytelling (which this does).

Writing-wise, I think this is Simon's best use of dialogue since the Shockwave Spotlight. It really flowed and none of the dialogue or exposition felt forced in any way. There were no cheesy oneliners that have the intent of making things more kickass, but have the opposite effect of being distractingly cliche.

What's more, Simon's take with the Headmasters was so fresh, I completely forgot that in the past we've already seen a Con named Scorponok meet a guy named Zarak on a planet called Nebulos where characters called Headmasters were born (in the Marvel run). That's #### good writing when you can have the same character do the same thing in the same place, and make it read like it's never been done before. When you can stay true to the essence of these characters, yet make it comepletely fresh, that's called skill. Simon and Nick did the same thing with the Shockwave Spotlight.

Crucial to having strong short stories, you gotta have an intriguing cast. Magnus vs. Scorponok. Very clever of Simon, because these guys have never even met, if I'm not mistaken, in any TF continuity. So it gives us something unique. I had the same feeling with DW's War and Peace, when it was Magnus vs. Shockwave. It's nice to see some of the other head honchos from each side go at it besides Prime and Megs. Throw that cheap bastard Swindle into the mix and you've got yourself a captivating enough cast.

Musso doesn't disappoint, and although he could downsize some to make the characters less bulky, overall he gets the job done. Needs some work on the body poses too, however, as Magnus at times seemed to be positioned strangely during the action sequences.

Overall, I give this a "B+", just under the Shockwave and Hot Rod Spotlights. Four out of five on the Spotlights ain't too shabby. Keep it up!

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:57 am

Yaya wrote:Magnus vs. Scorponok. Very clever of Simon, because these guys have never even met, if I'm not mistaken, in any TF continuity.

Well, future Magnus and present day Scorps were both in the TimeWars together, and both got their asses handed to them (within a few panels of one another if memory serves me correctly)... infact Magnus accidently blasts Scorps doesn't he?

I look forward to reading this issue, i'm hopign that Simon hasn't made this Magnus the peaceloving hippy he made him back in the Marvel run...

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:31 pm

He seems more of an "ultimate policeman" type.

I'm really liking these Spotlights, although the art in this one was rather bleh. I wonder why Wildman hasn't done any of these.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:57 pm

I didn't like the art. Far too Dreamwave for my liking.

Scorps concern towards Zarak was confusing I thought. Far too dramatic to be just concerned about 'resource'.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:21 pm

Yeah, I wish that was more clear. Exactly what was Zarak's relation to Scorponok?

I agree that it was the best issue of Spotlight since Shockwave.

I don't see why they don't use Wildman as well. I'm pretty peeved at the general intense criticism for Wild's art in the DD GI/TF stuff lately. He's always been one of my faves.

Post by **snarl** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:21 am

I thought the art was decent, certainly not a massive fan of this guys bots and cons though. Colouring was very good.

Yeah, I really liked this story actually - Not really much Skorps action, though it is clearly a set up for some in the future.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:42 pm

From the preview I was going to say that the art was effin' gorgeous, but after having read it, I realize that it was the excellent colouring that swayed my eyes.

I suppose the final sentence is so-so art? The story was pretty ace, and we can clearly see what may be the seeds to future storylines here.

Scorponok was a merge of his classic and Energon look, aye? It looked a bit like that to me.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 6:38 pm

Predabot wrote:From the preview I was going to say that the art was effin' gorgeous, but after having read it, I realize that it was the excellent colouring that swayed my eyes.

I suppose the final sentence is so-so art? The story was pretty ace, and we can clearly see what may be the seeds to future storylines here.

Scorponok was a merge of his classic and Energon look, aye? It looked a bit like that to me.

It was pretty much a carbon copy of the g1 toy.

Scraplet · Post by **Scraplet** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:19 pm

Not sure I entirely get what Magnus is, or how he fits into things. It's implied that the decepticons have a very noble regard for the rules of war, to the point where they regard Swindle and Scorps as criminals. But what are either of them doing that is so different from other Decepticon infiltration units?

The Earth unit is currently growing facimile humans, which doesn't seem so far off what Scorps is doing.

I'm hoping that as things unfold further and we get more detail about how this Tf universe works things will hang together better. Because this just doesnt feel right to me. If the Decepts were so bothered, why don't they have their own enforcer to gather up the rogues.

Anyway, i enjoyed it. And I love the potential to reinvent the whole Nebulos/headmaster thing in a way that integrates it properly to the rest of the continuity. But something doesn't feel right with Magnus, I'm afraid

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:15 pm

Another great issue, and my favourite along with the Shockwave and Nightbeat ones. I feel the Spotlights are the best thing IDW have released. Its wonderful to see all the different worlds the TFs have touched.

Post by **snarl** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:07 pm

yes, the spotlights are ace, I did like this a lot. I think Magnus as some sort of lawman is ace... Like ****** robocop!

I always used to imagine his voice as Robocop's when I read his stories.

I think Swindle and scorps problems were that they were sharing Cybertronian tech with no TFs, which apparently is bad.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:04 pm

Funnily, I liked mostly everything in this issue, but the re-imagining of Magnus didn't work for me. But all else was ace, from Swindle to the Nebulos view we got to Scorpy and his agenda. I especially liked Magnus' holomatter simulacrum... nifty idea.

The art was good, Magnus' new design was cool too, even if it was only a little change. Anyone thought the defense droids looked like a cross between Fasttrack and Scorponok? One minor nitpick though, in Stormbringer all the Nebulans we saw were green-skinned... here they had various colors except green. WTF?

It did leave the question hanging, whatever happened to Scorpy. I think the art didn't work there, from what Magnus says, Scorponok should have suffered a more greivous wound on his head. Maybe that's what'll force him to become a headmaster?

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 am

hmm.

i was a little bit meh about this.

I think the whole 'there are some lines you don't cross' thing needs a bit more justifciation for it to really work in terms of the bots and cons having an agreed enforcer - Swindle wise it makes some sense, he is just a criminal, but surely Scorps experiments have the potential to aid the con cause?

As has been said - raping whole worlds is cool but not selling some cheeky weaponry - seems a skewed perspective.

I think what was essentially being gone for was a Prime Directive style 'lets not let anyone else get our advanced tech' which i guess could be something teh cons have an issue with, assuming there are races who would be a genuine threat with the technological leg up - but this wasn't particularly explicit.

Also from a bot perspective bit of a waste to hae Magnus not fully engaged in the war, surely?

The notion of Magnus as a cop i like, i just don't think the justification really stood up.

I liked Scorps concern for Zarak - hints of the Marvel incarnation which i am a huge fan of. Also the 'transforming man' as opposed to the particular notion of a headmaster made a lot more sense, so its good to see another concept (aftyer Pretenders) given a better grounding.

Art was ok, did the job but a bit too exagerated and subject to some funny camera angles in my opinion. But a nice enough debut.

Overall istill think Shockwave and Nightbeat stand out as the most interesting so far, this was fun, but not in the same league.

Post by **snarl** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 10:57 am

I just got a subtle hint that Scorps was detatched from the Cons and looking to build his own self made creation.

Also - are we sure the Cons were even out after Scorponok? That seemed more a personal agenda on Magnus' part - just being disgusted by Scorpy's past actions.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:22 am

I got the impression that Magnus has more of a personal vendetta against Scorps, one that Swindle knows about and has played upon to secure his own freedom twice now. I think it's pretty fair to say that next time we see Magnus, Swindle will be on the lam again having traded his freedom for the information that Scorponok is alive and well and up to his old tricks on Earth.

Now as to how that will fit in with the Decepticon infiltration unit, Soundwave, ore-13 or Bludgeon's gang is anyone's guess, though I can see friction between OP and UM when the latter shows up, all guns blazing to take down the Machination...

Post by **snarl** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:47 am

Metal Vendetta wrote:I got the impression that Magnus has more of a personal vendetta against Scorps, one that Swindle knows about and has played upon to secure his own freedom twice now. I think it's pretty fair to say that next time we see Magnus, Swindle will be on the lam again having traded his freedom for the information that Scorponok is alive and well and up to his old tricks on Earth.

I'm feeling this.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:55 am

makes rod all sense that they need to capture a TF if that's the case though.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 12:08 pm

Not necessarily - maybe Scorps needs one to break down for parts/technology, or maybe to use as an experimental subject. I can't see him volunteering himself for that kind of treatment, and if there's a unit of Autobots nearby who will do the job just as well, then why not send the humans out to get one for him?

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 1:43 pm

actually - that might explain hunter's situation on the front of issue #(whichever)

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Ultra Magnus Spotlight Review (SPOILERS)

Re: Ultra Magnus Spotlight Review (SPOILERS)