Escalation #5 Review (SPOILERS)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:35 pm

Read it.

Read it and savored it like the great Marvel comics of old.

Dan responded to my comments in the letters page expressing his hope that I would be moving up from my "B-" level reviews of the Infiltration/Escalation storyline thus far. Mission accomplished, Dan!

From start to finish, Simon was solid as a rock, a great example of how a writer should balance action with story to keep the reader fully engaged from cover to cover. Where I felt the pacing lagged a bit with issue 2, 3, and 4, issue 5 was just right in the pacing department.

One can look back at this issue and count so many things that happened within just these 22 pages. Despite so many battles between Prime and Megs in the past twenty years, Simon somehow was able to give us this very same fight, yet keep me on the edge of my seat like I had never seen them clash before. Sometimes, we TF fans, no matter how mature a story we crave, need that gut wrenching metal-on-metal fix that lasts four or five pages just to remind us why me love TF so much. Simon gives us that in full with panel after panel of hardcore battle scenes. Again, Simon surprises us by having Prime not just lose, but get his tailpipe handed to him in such a way he may never quip "roll out!" again. How do I feel about that? Damn good!, that's how. Not that I don't like Prime, but I like that Simon is mixing things up, keeping us on our toes.

Aside from the Prime/Megs fight, Simon gives us other tidbits of other subplots that are slowly unravelling-that mysterious Decepticon head, Prowl and Hot Rods teamwork, the excavation of Shockwave and the Dinobots. Again, all in one issue. I know there are a lot of DW haters out there, but I felt one of DW's strongpoints was that they created numerous subplots that they slowly unravelled. I think that works well, and I think Simon is doing it just as well here.

If I could cite any fault with the issue, I would have to say E.J. pencilling was again a little substandard for him. And the coloring still suffers that bland pastel style. Not that these a big problems, just minor flaws.

Overall, a definite "A" issue. Between this issue and the second issue of the prequel, I really feel like IDW has treated me extra special this month.

Post by **snarl** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:35 am

haha, DW haters...

They were complete **** *****!

What is to like about **** ***** producing a **** body of work?

I ask you.

The Last Autobot · Post by **The Last Autobot** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:29 pm

I dont know Yaya, but everytime I read one of your reviews I have mixed feelings of either agree with you or burn the pc.

Post by **Best First** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:32 pm

Trying to equate this to DW us oneof the most bull thingsi have ever read.

cos this is the tits. Get over your dream wave nonsense.

Also, can we stoip this 'TF fans' this and 'Tf fans' that - just have your own ****ing opinion mate. Jesus.

Best drawn TF issue ever for my money. seriously. EJ is the new GS. Two initials an every fink.

Storuy was bizznizz as well. Layered. But layered, well, see?

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 12:32 am

I nearly... okay, I did cream myself when I read this.

EJ's art was fantastic. The Prime/Megs battle was the best thing I've seen, artwise, since Senior had the Swarm tear Prime apart back in '95. I can't remember the last time I was so blown away by an artist.

The dialogue in the fight felt very familiar... until Prime LOST. How cool is that? Simon is destroying TF story sacred cows one at a time... first Megs actually wastes Starscream, now he beats Prime.

My only regret is that it took so long to give us this issue. I definitely think Infiltration/Escalation could have been scaled down, but I'm damn happy now that it's here.

Post by **Best First** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:34 am

my only reservation was the panal wher it looked a bit like they were making sweet sweet love.

EDit - Ha - can't believe i missed the 'In the National Interest' reference!

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:07 pm

Best First wrote: Also, can we stoip this 'TF fans' this and 'Tf fans' that

Wha?

No.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:09 pm

The Last Autobot wrote:I dont know Yaya, but everytime I read one of your reviews I have mixed feelings of either agree with you or burn the pc.

So which is it this time?

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:35 pm

Yaya wrote:I know there are a lot of DW haters out there, but I felt one of DW's strongpoints was that they created numerous subplots that they slowly unravelled. I think that works well, and I think Simon is doing it just as well here.

We're not DW haters, we're Pat Lee/Mad Brick haters...

The problem with DW's numerous subplots and hanging threads were that they weren't created with forethought. Mad Brick made them up as he wrote the issues, then forgot the half of them... only to explain about 99% of them 7-8 issues later in a huge info dump. And while with Simon's hints you can at least take some guesses what will come to be, in DW's case they were totally illogically placed. I mean... Sunstorm? The energon pool on Earth? Why did Scourge reactivate Shockwave? Is Megatron really the father/brother/whatever of Starscream? All these were just dropped during the issues without explanation or subtle hints about where they'll lead. Sunstorm was the most irritable of these, as he kept on talking total nonsense for 6 issues and we weren't any wiser after his death.

I'm looking forward to Escalation 5, btw. So this new organisation now has the Dinos, Shocky and the casettes... wonder if they are part of the Machination too?

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:00 pm

I actually thought the severed head was Starscream, somehow pilfered from the Decepticon HQ.

I think the Dante figure is one of the Decep's facsimiles who avoided his self-destruction and got smarter somehow.

Post by **Best First** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:05 pm

Yaya wrote:
Best First wrote: Also, can we stoip this 'TF fans' this and 'Tf fans' that
Wha?

No.

i guess if you are that insecure about your own opinion.

Then again maybe i'll just start editing your posts to say what i want them to say, seems fair if you are going to keep pretending you are representative of anything other than a minority of one.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:24 pm

Best First wrote: i guess if you are that insecure about your own opinion.

Then again maybe i'll just start editing your posts to say what i want them to say, seems fair if you are going to keep pretending you are representative of anything other than a minority of one.

Why take such comments personally? I mean, what kind of IQ does someone have to have to think that when I say things like "we" this or that" or "TF fans are" that it refers to everyone. It's a manner of speech, not the ****** Gospel.

For example:

Plus, if that is the new world order, well **** me there's along list of place we need to invade.

Not to mention we still sell the **** to people of dubious morals on a daily basis.

that Iranians, as a rule, really, really, really hate the British

don't think we are quite as reactionary when our sodies get mixed up in stuff here, either in terms of media or public reaction.

You don't hear me bitching about how you don't represent every Brit or IRani, do you? I mean its ****** implied that you don't, so it doesn't bother me.

Your like that nagging kid in the back of the class that makes fun of whatever the guy in the front of the room says.

Please, by all means, edit my posts the way you see fit boss. At least I, no wait, we won't have to hear about it again.

Post by **Best First** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:48 pm

that's cos the guy at the front of the room posts on message boards in a really annoying way.

For example he is proably stupid enough to take making established generalisations about a country and try and equivicate this to his constant attempt to project his opinions onto a comic fandom and his inability to relise that posting in such a fashion is a bit bellish.

Ironically he probably thinks he is really clever when he does this.

oh my.

"We TF Fans" JEEZUS.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:27 am

Best First wrote:his constant attempt to project his opinions onto a comic fandom

Give me some credit, BF. At least pretend to believe I have more to do with my life than fool people into believing that the world believes as I do.

If anything, I would say I'm mostly in the minority with just about every issue out there.

You used "we" in your discussions, I use it in mine. Like I said, only a fool will take this kind of language literally.

I also find your use of the term "established generalizations" hilarious. I mean, that's a clever way to argue.

You are the pot here and I'm the kettle. Maybe I do mean "we" in the literal sense.....

Post by **Best First** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:56 am

you're point might have some merit if you didn't have a track record of manufacturing arguements and opinions on others behalfs in a vain attempt to make whatever point it is you happen to have a semi for this week.

You also seem to lack an awareness of what 'we' call context.

As for that "i have more to do with my life", mmm, great internet trap you have fallen into there - you know veryu little about my life outside of here, and you would have to be some kind of presumptuous idiot to try and score points in that fash....

oh.

Interestingly Ishin was a big fan of that one. Do you write hilarious skits at all?

And in terms of how to argue, are you saying that the British being more reserved than the Americans is not an established generalisation? Or that Iranians hating the British is not an established generalisation, based on, you know, history, and evidence and stuff like that? Yes, a terrible way to argue, and entirely comparable to regulalry trying to represent a bunch of people with your own opinions on a comic book.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 3:00 pm

Here we go again.

Yaya wrote: Dan responded to my comments in the letters page expressing his hope that I would be moving up from my "B-" level reviews of the Infiltration/Escalation storyline thus far.

And to think I bought the line about you and Commander Shockwav being different people...

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:46 pm

sprunkner wrote:Here we go again.

Yaya wrote: Dan responded to my comments in the letters page expressing his hope that I would be moving up from my "B-" level reviews of the Infiltration/Escalation storyline thus far.
And to think I bought the line about you and Commander Shockwav being different people...

Commander who? Misprint. Have to talk to IDW about that one. I really have nothing to do with that [composite word including 'f*ck'].

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:58 pm

Best First wrote: And in terms of how to argue, are you saying that the British being more reserved than the Americans is not an established generalisation? Or that Iranians hating the British is not an established generalisation, based on, you know, history, and evidence and stuff like that? Yes, a terrible way to argue, and entirely comparable to regulalry trying to represent a bunch of people with your own opinions on a comic book.

You don't own the patent on generalization use, nor do you get to determine what's established and what's not.

I'm saying a generalization is a generalization. Who established that it's established? You? I'm sure there are Iranis who hate Brits and that there are many Brits more reserved than Americans. And if you hadn't pointed out my use of "we TF fans" I wouldn't have thought about pointing out your use of generalizations from those posts. In fact, I would have just thought "yeah, that's probably true". But since we're keeping a track record here and getting nitpicky, I thought I'd return the favor.

They are manners of speech, nothing more. I don't pretend to represent most people, but my views do represent some people, and at times, many people, so I use generalizations as well.

Who doesn't?

What's crazy about all this is that for the most part we agree about this issue and how good it is. That small disagreement about DW lit your fuse and you exploded.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:17 am

Mate, "we TF fans" sounds wank. Therefore it makes what you say sound wank, even if one happens to agree with you.

As it is, I also loved this issue. Real exciting stuff, and for once I found myself wanting to know what happened next in one of the strands (the one with the kids and Ironhide+Ratchet) and wanting to know now, not in a month. Good stuff, that.
Oh, and very, very cool to see Shockers and the Dinos being excavated.

Really liking where the whole IDW TF narrative is going. The 'IDW main universe' tapestry is really rather compelling, the more so the more it goes on.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:09 pm

I had more to post in the Dreamwave days it seems, as I had more to moan about...

As it is, I'll keep this short: it was great.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 10:48 am

Yaya wrote: but my views do represent...at times, many people

Ah, the unelected spokesperson of the masses.

anyway - dave, agree. Who would have thought that good TF comics would lead to a dearth of discussion?

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:41 pm

Best First wrote:
Yaya wrote: but my views do represent...at times, many people
Ah, the unelected spokesperson of the masses.

That's funny, oh He Who Establishes Generalizations.

Post by **Best First** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:08 am

your inability to percive (or willful ignorance of) the difference between saying "Iran historically blah" and "Anyone who likes this should also like Dreamwave" is making you look a bit silly mate - sorry.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:10 pm

Best First wrote:your inability to percive (or willful ignorance of) the difference between saying "Iran historically blah" and "Anyone who likes this should also like Dreamwave" is making you look a bit silly mate - sorry.

Carrying on this banter, when did I ever say someone who like's this should also like DW?

I merely mentioned DW in my review as a comparison and to express how I felt about the issue. If you read my review again, you will also see me cite how much the issue reminds me of the good ole days of Marvel. Ever consider that?

And what would you say to an Irani who loved Britian, or a subdued American who wasn't so aggressive? "Sorry, you can't. It goes against my established generalization."?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:16 pm

I'm sure you mean Iranians, not Iranis...

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:44 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:I'm sure you mean Iranians, not Iranis...

Pakistan=Pakistanis, not Pakistanians
Afghanistan=Afghanis, not Afghanians
Iraq=Iraqis, not Iraqians

Therefore, Iran=Iranis.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:07 pm

Yaya wrote:
spiderfrommars wrote:I'm sure you mean Iranians, not Iranis...
Pakistan=Pakistanis, not Pakistanians
Afghanistan=Afghanis, not Afghanians
Iraq=Iraqis, not Iraqians

Therefore, Iran=Iranis.

A logical deduction, but wrong. Also, the residents of Afghanistan are Afghans.

That said, onto the main focus.

This 'banter' has become repetitive, monotonous, and quite frankly boring.

It would appear to have spread to several outlets in the forums, far beyond its original scope, and as such is detrimental towards the board as a whole.

Now, I'm not interested in opinions, who started what or who did what, but what I am interested in are the facts.

And the facts are that far too often wholesome debate has given way to the usual pointless bickering and insult-throwing that aggravates the other members rather than enlightening them.

So, as it would be redundant to try an perform some virtual equivalent of banging heads together in an attempt to knock some sense into them, I will instead say this:

If any future discussion deteriorates in the way that these so often have, there will be repercussions. And the status of the party or parties to whom the repercussions will be directed is irrelevant.

I hope I have made myself clear.

TransFans is here for the enjoyment of all, and not for some to spoil for the rest.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:33 am

Rebis wrote:[
A logical deduction, but wrong. Also, the residents of Afghanistan are Afghans.

Oh.....yeah.

TransFans is here for the enjoyment of all, and not for some to spoil for the rest.

I agree.

And apologize. My intention was just to talk about the issue and give it a opinionated review, as is my usual practice. Didn't expect the personal attacks, at least not in this forum. (The General Discussion forum may be a different story, as it seems to be a more appropriate place for such banter).

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:23 pm

Yaya wrote:
Therefore, Iran=Iranis.

Really? I best tell my mother she's an Irani then.

The Irani are a different people:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranis

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:09 pm

Yaya wrote:
Rebis wrote:[
A logical deduction, but wrong. Also, the residents of Afghanistan are Afghans.
Oh.....yeah.

Actually, look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghani

"Citizens of Afghanistan are sometimes referred to as Afghani"

I thought I heard them addressed this way sometimes.

Really? I best tell my mother she's an Irani then.

The Irani are a different people:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranis

I've heard of people of Iran being addressed as Iranis, but I see that term applies to only specific Iranians. Learn something new everyday.

TransFans.co.uk

Escalation #5 Review (SPOILERS)

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Re: Escalation #5 Review (SPOILERS)

Re: Escalation #5 Review (SPOILERS)