Devestation #2 Review (SPOILERS)

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 8:52 pm

Yaya wrote: One thing I have learned about myself is that despite my being in my thirties and being more mature than I was in my early teens, I still need that physical metal on metal TF battle to satisfy me, what some might label as fanwankish mindless aggression. For example, when Predaking went at it with Bruticus during the DW run, a lot of fans understandably had a "what's the point?" kind of take on it. Me? I was drooling to the point of drowning in a pool of my own saliva.

That's fanwank. It's highly illogical, pointless, was DW's main trademark (along with the cartoon references and the 'coming out' of Magnus) and THANK PRIMUS it's avoided in IDW (except in Megs Origin).

If a battle/scene is just there for gratitous screen-filling, or for "hey we never saw Wheelie and Trypticon go toe-to-toe before, I'll insert a few pages of that" - it's unneeded, pointless because it doesn't move the story along (case in point, in said issue Megatron could have stepped in personally with Predaking in tow, prompting a proper surrender from the Combaticons, cause no-one should be stupid enough - especially not a tactical genius like Onslaught - to risk their neck for Starscream, of all people...)

Fight scenes can move the story along, with external/internal dialogue to show us the mindset of the warriors clashing. Best example for that was the last produced issue of Energon with the Megatron/Scorponok showdown. The whole issue was about them fighting and yet it was still very interesting and worth re-reading, as opposed to 6 issues of pointless fightings in the Sunstorm story arc.

Sorry for butting in, but I had to comment on that.

(btw, I did it...!)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:34 pm

BB Shockwave wrote: That's fanwank. It's highly illogical, pointless, was DW's main trademark (along with the cartoon references and the 'coming out' of Magnus)

To label all that I listed as fanwank is ridiculous. What isn't fanwank then, I ask you?

And if it is all fanwankish, then count me amongst the ultimate fanwankers.

I don't care what any TF fan says or how much they deny it, if this is how you define "fanwank", then there is fanwankitude in all of us. Some more than others, yes, but it's there.

It's the nature of being a TF fan this long.

Sure, we want more intelligent stories, stories more thought out, because we have matured over the years and our intellects call for it.

But if we just had bots talking to one another without some metal on metal action, I doubt any of us would be reading these comics.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:19 pm

I really enjoyed Dev 2. I cant wait to see the casualties pile up. I think Hound will be one of them though

Manchester Devil · Post by **Manchester Devil** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:25 pm

Damn comic store in Plymouth not having Devastation ish 2 on it's funking shelves.

Post by **Denyer** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:30 pm

Yaya wrote:What isn't fanwank then

Having characters think/act their way out of situations rather than become dumb/incapable just to service a plot.

Sterling example: end of DWG1V1.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:00 pm

I liked W&P way more than Vol. 3. The whole Sunstorm saga was crap on a stick. A Palette changed Seeker. Whoo. All bad ass and preaching destruction? Didn't that JUST happen in War Within 2?

Meanwhile, the story as a whole was moving towards the Titbot/Autobot City crap. Clearly for someone such as Scott, the blind march towards a cartoonesque continuity would have welcome, but with me, it was not.

I read Vol. 3. I've done nasty things with fat girls. And Vol. 3, you come nowhere close to competing with the latter.

Post by **Best First** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:25 am

He said titbot.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:50 am

Shanti418 wrote:I liked W&P way more than Vol. 3. The whole Sunstorm saga was crap on a stick. A Palette changed Seeker. Whoo. All bad ass and preaching destruction? Didn't that JUST happen in War Within 2?

Meanwhile, the story as a whole was moving towards the Titbot/Autobot City crap. Clearly for someone such as Scott, the blind march towards a cartoonesque continuity would have welcome, but with me, it was not.

I read Vol. 3. I've done nasty things with fat girls. And Vol. 3, you come nowhere close to competing with the latter.

Volume three was way better, IMO. It didn't suffer compression and a catharrhal exposition by Shockwave at the end. And most of all, it didn't suffer Pat Lee's balloony style.

And I don't base Volume 3 and the ongoing on where it might have been headed, but on what had already happened. To be honest, I forgot Mick was even heading in the Titbot direction, and I just remembered the Autobot city thing after you mentioned it. Those weren't the things that grabbed me.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:22 am

Yaya wrote:Volume three was way better, IMO. It didn't suffer compression and a catharrhal exposition by Shockwave at the end. And most of all, it didn't suffer Pat Lee's balloony style.

Do you mean decompression? Anyway, with me, words are more important than pictures. If I had stick figure Transformers with Furman scripting, I'd be more happy than if I had gorgeous Don Fig drawings with crap seeping from the dialogue boxes.

And I don't base Volume 3 and the ongoing on where it might have been headed, but on what had already happened. To be honest, I forgot Mick was even heading in the Titbot direction, and I just remembered the Autobot city thing after you mentioned it. Those weren't the things that grabbed me.

It's not that I'm judging Vol. 3 on things that hadn't happened yet. It's just, as a TF fan who religiously buys the books, I sat there and wasted my money on the first 6-8 issues, just WAITING for the Sunstorm arc to finish so we could move onto something else, so my hopes WERE tied up in the future, only because the present was quite crappy.

But what we got IIRC was an "Insecticons in a bad horror movie rip off" for a few issues and then cancellation before Optimus and the Titbots, which is a GREAT name for a band, BTW.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 7:36 am

I'm sure that the whole Sunstorm arc would have been labelled as crap even by cartoon fans if it wouldn't have been drawn by Don. Imagine that story with Pat Lee's art... I calculate about 3/4 of the fans of Vol.3. liked it because of the art, not the story.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:43 am

BB Shockwave wrote: (btw, I did it...!)

Ratbat did it.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:28 am

But Ratbat is actually three Micromasters in an overcoat!

You never saw that coming, did you?

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:32 am

That'll explain why there was a cassette in the middle of him...

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 1:17 pm

E.J.Su wrote:
sprunkner wrote:And EJ! Not drawing Devastation #3? But... but... no! I like Roche and all, but this is your time to give us a fix!
I had to take a leave of absent for 2 issues because my wife just had our first baby. Robby Musso is on #4, both look really good.

Congrats, dude. I've got a six-month old who is delightful and demanding.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:47 pm

If you're still reading it, EJ, I really liked your art. You give great emotions to the TF faces and still keeping them mechanical-looking.

And... great cameos!

Whoever else noticed the signs on the first page? 'Botcon BL'... 'Acroyear' 'Microman Inn'

I'd visit that inn... Maybe they serve beer in transformable cans?

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:23 pm

Denyer wrote:Steve's been ****ed over by Diamond, but I've read this thanks to kind scanning and thoroughly enjoyed it.

What, Steve's the name of the guy running the shop where you buy your comics or something?

I'm a bit impressed that you admit to dl-ing stuff for having a look, or when you get impatient. Takes a bit of guts I must say, since such things are often frowned upon by the powers that be.

Post by **Denyer** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:32 pm

In this case the vendor's the person scanning, and I suspect he's beginning to get tired of the way the monopoly distributor treats small stores.

http://oneshallstand.proboards37.com/in ... 188&page=1

Diamond "lose" emails (like they've "misplaced" entire shipping containers before now) a bit too frequently for it to be convincing.

Like Steve I don't support downloaders who don't pay back into the system, but think it'd be a good idea if IDW put some material (say, Stormbringer #1 and Movie Prequel #1) up as previews, as DC do.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:01 am

Predabot wrote:
I'm a bit impressed that you admit to dl-ing stuff for having a look, or when you get impatient. Takes a bit of guts I must say, since such things are often frowned upon by the powers that be.

Oh shut up. Its a unique circumstance and Steve has justified the actions and controlled access.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 9:03 pm

Shanti418 wrote:
Yaya wrote:Volume three was way better, IMO. It didn't suffer compression and a catharrhal exposition by Shockwave at the end. And most of all, it didn't suffer Pat Lee's balloony style.
Do you mean decompression?

Isn't it compression? I felt that last issue of W&P was compressed, and Shockwave essentially decompressed an overly compressed issue by ranting.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:25 am

My head feels decompressed.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:26 am

Volume 3 didn't suffer 'compression' because there was no six issue constraint - which means the Bumstorm 'saga' happened with pretty much nothing being revealed or resolved, much like the first 5 issues of the second volume.

E.J.Su · Post by **E.J.Su** » Sun Nov 11, 2007 10:10 pm

BB Shockwave wrote:If you're still reading it, EJ, I really liked your art. You give great emotions to the TF faces and still keeping them mechanical-looking.

Hey BB Shockwave, Thanks for the compliment, I really appreciate that.

and Thanks everyone for your good wishes.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 2:29 pm

You're welcome, and best wishes!

Hope we see you pencilling TF comics soon again!

So, when is #3 out? I just can't wait for this story arc to continue... I'm also curious just how much will Hot Rod and Wheeljack will be holding back, if at all, seeing as now they know none of their attackers are the real Sunstreaker. And if the Autobots do have any qualms about squishing a few fleshies in this new universe, unlike in Marvel where they let RAAT shoot them to bits rather then retaliating...

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 2:33 pm

BB Shockwave wrote:seeing as now they know none of their attackers are the real Sunstreaker.

... do they?

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 2:44 pm

Brendocon wrote:
BB Shockwave wrote:seeing as now they know none of their attackers are the real Sunstreaker.
... do they?

Well, they all have "little men for heads" as Grimlock would say, so yeah.

Maybe one of them uses Streakers body, but his mind is definitly not in there.

But I guess we'll have to wait and see how Roddy will react.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:00 pm

i hope he brutally kills them all to be honest.

Whilst quipping like Spidey.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 3:28 pm

BB Shockwave wrote:
Brendocon wrote:
BB Shockwave wrote:seeing as now they know none of their attackers are the real Sunstreaker.
... do they?
Well, they all have "little men for heads" as Grimlock would say, so yeah. Maybe one of them uses Streakers body, but his mind is definitly not in there.

They know one of them has a man for a head. And there's nothing to stop Sunstreaker's core conciousness being in that one's chest (like what Headmasters was in Marvel and Sunbow). The only reason we know differently is because we've seen Hunter find Sunstreaker.