All Hail Megatron #12 Review (SPOILERS)

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:56 am

Well, say what you will about the series as a whole, this story ends with a bang.

Definitely one of the stronger issues of the series, containing perhaps the best Prime vs. Megs fight I've seen to date in a comic, at the very least rivaling Su's rendition in Escalation.

I thought the dialogue was good, and Shane's decision to end the story with Spike's assessment of the hopeless human/TF relationship symbolically coinciding with Sideswipe's 'pulling the plug' on Sunhunter for emphasis was particulary well done.

Some nice character moments, in particular from Thundercracker, who actually manages some page time for once in his life.

The Starscream moment was somewhat unexpected, maybe a little too out of character, but intriguing nonetheless. I will be interested in seeing where Screamer goes from here.

Artwork was ace from Guido, as usual.

Oh yeah. Best of all? Shockwave is again responsible for Megatron's downfall...even when he's not actually in the story at all.

Give it an "B+". Really enjoyed this issue, a lot of fun. Nice to see the story tie into what Simon laid down before, and I suspect we'll get even more loose ends tied up come Coda.

Have to think about what I'd give the series as a whole. Will read it as a whole, as I did Infiltration, to be fair. I suspect that, though flawed, it will read better.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:05 pm

Another gripe is that it concluded in a way that was waaaay to copycat of Prime Directive from DW. Basically, Prime and Megatron duke it out tossing quips at each other in the middle of a city with Devestator rampaging around battling another big bot (in this case Omega, in Prime Directive, Superion) with a nuclear missile on the way that is prevented from detonating by a flying bot (in this case, Thunderwing, in Prime Directive, Superion) who saves the day. See?

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:00 pm

Wait.... Thunderwing came into this story? [composite word including 'f*ck']?

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:50 pm

Glad Devs and Omega only got one page. It's all they're really worth.
Prime and Megs' fight - top notch. Especially the conclusion to it.
Um.... although.... did Prime let Starscream walk off with the Matrix?
Crappy tacked-on Drift line was pointless as ever.
The cigar line was a kind of amusing way of tackling something every fan has been asking since Kup first showed up again.
And as for the last page, with Hunter.... Grim.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 5:55 pm

I thought it wasn't too bad. Enjoyed the Prme & Megs fight. I liked Starscream's reaction to Megatron's defeat. I thought Sideswipe turning off Hunter was a good moment.

Thundercracker's moment would have been better if it had been expanded on at least once since issue #2 or whatever it was.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 8:15 pm

That Sideswipe and Hunter moment gave me the same feelings things like Impactor's second death did.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:42 am

Poor Hunter.

I'm looking forward to reading the Coda issue about him and Sunstreaker.

Whatever happened to the other 2 Infiltration kids?

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:57 am

Both were alive and well in Max Dinos, so I guess we may see a flashback showing them and Hunter's perspective of events just after Ratchet separated him and Streaker in the AHM #8 flashback.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:47 am

That's good, at least.

Who needs Hunter, anyway? Now, we've got Spike! Hmmm...

Did anybody else listen to The Touch while reading this issue? Kinda fun.

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:10 am

A? You gave this a **** A, Yaya?

That's it, I'm not trusting your reviews anymore...

This was the most half-arsed ending I have seen since DW's War and Peace issue 6. 11 issues of nothing, then everything gets crammed into the ending.

-Megatron goes Magneto with Prime all over again, like in Prime Directive - yeah we get it, humans are not nice. Prime did flatten one in Escalation, remember? Plus, Meg's a total wuss. This series is called 'All Hail Megatron', yet what did Megs do? He killed some humies, he sat on his rear plating for weeks, then he battles Devastator and gets beaten by Prime and a friggin human. Ptah...

-Bombshell gives us the nicest exposition since Shockwave's "Ididit".

That guy had so much potential, yet he just doesn't go anywhere.

-TC's sacrfice/betrayal would have been nice... if it didn't came out of the Blue!!! I was like "What the slag"? Sure, he moped about the Insecticon creation before. Once. But Shame totally neglected to develop him, so him turning sides and his death are just... I'm not feeling it. Shane had 11 issues to give us some insight into TCs head, and in a series that is supposedly Con-centered, he failed at that. We got a better look at what drives Cyclonus in his spotlight, and that was clustered full of other characters...

-Devastator, the weapon responsible for the defeat of OP and the Autobots galaxy-wide, falls on ONE SLAGGIN' PAGE! One page! Great. Deus ex Omega. Also, apparently Dev's crotch can talk (misplaced bubble), but after what he shows us in ROTF I'm not really surprised.

-Don't get me started on Tankor. What's next, Hot Rod gets promoted to Rodimus Prime because Hasbro lost the name Hot Rod? It's especially pointless since Tankor/Octane is a toy that is already NOT on the shelves. Stupid move, Hasbro.

-But, we did learn that Kup's cigar even stays lit underwater. He's THAT badass.

-Hunter... he was one of the few human characters in TF history I genuinely liked. And they killed him off. Thanks, Shane. Wreck everything Furman built up, please. (I will still consider Furman's Mosaic about Sunhunter canon instead).

-So in the end, let's check... the Autobots are on Earth, main G1 season 1-2 cast (with a few wreckers who will no doubt be killed off quietly), the Decepticons are also reduced to the Season 1-2 cast, Spike joins the main cast... Great, it's G1 cartoon time again, DW style. Please, introduce Marissa Fairborn now. Oh and Elita-1! Due to Pat Lee's incompetence (impotence?) we were robbed of seeing the marriage of OP and E1, we need that in IDW! Now! [/sarcasm]

Seriously, I'm really done with IDW. The cancelling of the 13 was the nail in the coffin for me. Spotlight Metroplex seems good, though - goes back to the 'ion' timeline and is intriguing - I will buy that, then it's curtains for IDW to me.

With Animated cancelled, me not caring a bit about ROTF (maybe Furman's spotlight on Ravage, I will check that out), 2009 will be a bleak year of TFs for me.

Post by **snarl** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:48 pm

I think to like this, you probably need to drink a lot of purple drank.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:31 pm

BB Shockwave wrote:A? You gave this a **** A, Yaya?

That's it, I'm not trusting your reviews anymore...

This was the most half-arsed ending I have seen since DW's War and Peace issue 6. 11 issues of nothing, then everything gets crammed into the ending.

As a single issue, I enjoyed it. I tried to separate myself from the crap that preceded it. I really enjoyed the Prime/Megs fight, what can I say. The art was awesome.

As for how I felt about the series as a whole, here's the review I put up on the IDW message boards:

"My impression overall is that it was average.

I would like to sit down and read it in one sitting as a trade, as I did Infiltration, and then score it.

But looking at it as a whole, it was flawed in some major ways.

It was the most decompressed TF story I've read. Infiltration was the same, but it was only six months. This was a year.

One of my bigger gripes was, what the hell was the point? I mean, Megatron takes over the Earth, only to decide that it's not worth taking, and decides to up and leave? WHY? What was so special about the Earth in the first place? What was Megatron seeking to accomplish by his invasion? If it wasn't ore-13, what was it? At least Simon gave us a good reason.

Another gripe is that it concluded in a way that was waaaay to copycat of Prime Directive from DW. Basically, Prime and Megatron duke it out tossing quips at each other in the middle of a city with Devestator rampaging around battling another big bot (in this case Omega, in Prime Directive, Superion) with a nuclear missile on the way that is prevented from detonating by a flying bot (in this case, Thunderwing, in Prime Directive, Superion) who saves the day. See?

It had some strong points, like some nice dialogue here and there, and the whole Sunstreaker bit was nice. There were some nice moments amongst the Autobots.

But ultimately, I am left disappointed.

Looking forward to Coda and the ongoing."

BB Shockwave · Post by **BB Shockwave** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:24 pm

OK, you are forgiven.

I try not to judge a miniseries per issue, 'cause I like to plan ahead when writing stories myself, so I can understand if one issue is slow-paced... But 9?

The art was OK, but the colorists should be fired. Where was Josh?

I miss him.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:47 pm

all rather poor really...

the only thing this entire story managed to acheive was kill of sunstreaker and hunter. and that's not really a very good acheivement, seeing as the potential that post-headmaster streaker and hunter had for story telling was huge. instead we get, what one issue's worth of material of streaker crying about it and planning the downfall of the entire human race, despite the fact that it was Scorponok who was responsible for making the headmasters.

what a lot of bollocks!

what else happened... really, what else?

[composite word including 'f*ck'] all else... apart from some continunity wrecking (*cough*insecticons*cough*) and waste of space characters (*cough*drift*cough*)...

what a waste of 12 issues, a whole year.

i will not be getting the TPB.

hopefully we'll not have any more drivel from mr mccarthy...

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 3:58 pm

Legion wrote:
what else happened... really, what else?

I didn't miss anything then?

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:38 pm

Legion wrote: what a waste of 12 issues, a whole year.

My biggest gripe. Absolutely ridiculous and inexcusable. This was a five to six issue story, at most.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 2:58 pm

Finally read this, very dissapointing.

As has been said it felt a lot like the end of Prime directive.

Like much of this series what we got just constituted a poor comic - the action was choppy (there's no seeming continuity between many of the panels for Prime and Megs fight) and the story itself was a tapestry of mediocrity.

For me the most ridiculous bit was when everyone stood around chatting post Megatron's fall - it was like the end of an episode of the cartoon when the good guys just watch the bad guys run away so the status quo can be maintained.

Of course the status quo is supposed to have changed - what with the bots supposedly defeated all across the galaxy, but once again we get slapped with the elementary mistake of tell and don't show.

Out of interest is anyone clear on what Megatron's actual plan in terms of earth was? What outcome was he hoping for? The attempt to portray him as an evil genius or master tactician has fallen completely flat for me. Shouldn't he have been doing more important things if the bot army was down and out all over the universe?

I guess it was nice to see Thundercracker actually do something but it wasn't built up in an effective way. Skywarp's reaction was good but would have meant a lot more if there had actually been some work done on the relationship between these characters.

Drift proved to be entirely superfluous to the story, so did "Jazz the Ninja".

Plus we get the usual annoying combiner size nonsense as a bonus.

What a waste of a year.

Hunter's death brought some black amusement - the whole scene was like a metaphor for this story's impact on the continuity - Hunter representing the once fantastic universe that IDW had built up that has now been butchered to the point where it might as well be abandoned.

Or is that pushing it?

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:30 pm

Best First wrote: Hunter's death brought some black amusement - the whole scene was like a metaphor for this story's impact on the continuity - Hunter representing the once fantastic universe that IDW had built up that has now been butchered to the point where it might as well be abandoned.

You just touched me.

Intimately.

inflatable dalek · Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:07 am

Christ on a ****ing bike, was that it?

Basing your big climax around Thundercracker, a character who's only had three lines in total, 5 issues before is probably a mistake. And what was the point of Sarah, Bridge and Otherblackguy? All they contribute is some cheerleading at the end.

And who in their right mind reads Dreamwave's first mini and goes "Hell yeah, this is what we should be doing, but less good!"?

The fact the Decepticons seemingly abandon all of Earth because New York gets destroyed is the perfect cap to the Americancentric attitude of the entire comic, why not relocate to Bromsgrove if using the planet for the space bridge network is so important?

Why does Starscream bother saving Megatron? His entire masterplan has blown up in his face showing up everything he's said over the last two issues as complete bollocks only for screamer to decide now to be a good boy?

As for the Tankor thing, I suspect whoever picked that Classic toy for a plug didn't realise it was supposed to be Octane.

But the real damning moment was the death of Hunter. The only decent human character IDW have managed gets completely screwed over in a undramatic rehash of the two moments with Sunstreaker's head we've had in the past. And worse than that he's offed by someone he's never met before, if they had to do it wouldn't it be more emotional/dramatic if it were Ratchet or Ironhide pulling the plug? In short it's McCarthy/IDW slapping you in the face with their penis after having pissed on you for 12 months.

Considering the Decepticons have left Earth and the Humans don't want the Autobots there everyone should be leaving the planet for good now. I bet they won't though.

Sorry, but anyone who's really liked this should probably invest in one of those "How to keep a idiot amused for hours- Turn over"* cards from The Chuckle Brothers.

*The other side of course saying "How to keep a idiot amused for hours- Turn over"

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:51 pm

Oh my goodness, this was terrible. I'm an idiot for buying this and I'm an idiot for thinking that it might get better in the last issue. This has been the most overhyped, underperforming Transformers series ever, and it's pissed all over the great existing 'ation continuity just to bring the series back to this thoroughly underwhelming state of affairs. It's like DWV1 never happened.

The worst moment for me was Thundercracker. Not only did it come out of left field because we've had almost zero insight into his character, not only was it the fanwankiest moment of the series so far what with pandering to the Thundercracker Mosiac fanboys and not only was it another cheap shot to showcase Drift™ and his mysterious divided loyalties...

It just makes no goddamn sense. Thundercracker believes in the Decepticon cause. The loss of one human city to destroy the entire remaining Autobot and its leader is no big deal to the Decepticons. It's only a few million people out of a population of billions - hell, there are humans who would destroy NY just for kicks, and he won't let it be destroyed even if it means winning the war forever?

I totally empathised with Skywarp shooting him in the face. He was an idiot.

New Furman series please. He's proven he can write a decent TF story. McCarthy's proven he can't.

Post by **snarl** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:48 am

As I read this in FP, I oufnd myself being physically sick over the pages.

I staggered outside, and as I struggled down the street, each time I thought of AHM #12 I found the sudden, necessary urge to vomit.

Scraplet · Post by **Scraplet** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 1:31 am

Just picked up issue 7-12 cheap on ebay and read 'em in one go.

I'm really confused....
In the end, what was the conduit by which the 'Cons cracked every Autobot security code in the galaxy, if it wasn't 'the Traitor'? Was that explained?

Not sure Hunters death was necessary. Seems a real waste of potential.

The Matrix. Where is it? Whos got it? Does it matter? For several issues we were told it was EVERYTHING! Megs mentions it, gets nailed and its not mentioned again.

Issue #9 - Ha!
Ratchet: "Prepare yourself, Prime might die"
Sideswipe: *looks over shoulder* "Oh, hi Prime, you feeling better?"
Prime: "Yep, I'm great. Lets go and kick butt"

And what was the deal with Soundwave cradling Rumble like a lost child, and then all the comms becoming available? Did he give up jamming everything out of grief? WTF?

And a million other bits like that thoughout the series, but those are the ones that made so little sense that they stuck in my head.

Lots of really good ideas in there...just a shame those ideas were let down by:
- lack of clarity
- jarring characterisation
- failure to mesh with previous plots

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:26 pm

Scraplet wrote: I'm really confused....

Okay, let's help with that...

Scraplet wrote:In the end, what was the conduit by which the 'Cons cracked every Autobot security code in the galaxy, if it wasn't 'the Traitor'? Was that explained?

Torturing Hunter. Or Something.

Scraplet wrote:Not sure Hunters death was necessary. Seems a real waste of potential.

No kidding.

Scraplet wrote:The Matrix. Where is it? Whos got it? Does it matter? For several issues we were told it was EVERYTHING! Megs mentions it, gets nailed and its not mentioned again.

The Autobots, with the upper hand, and facing down the defeated decepticon army, let Starscream waltz off with it. You know, 'cause that makes perfect sense.

Scraplet wrote: Lots of really good ideas in there...just a shame those ideas were let down by:
- lack of clarity
- jarring characterisation
- failure to mesh with previous plots

So True.

Scraplet · Post by **Scraplet** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:21 pm

Sunyavadin wrote:
Scraplet wrote:In the end, what was the conduit by which the 'Cons cracked every Autobot security code in the galaxy, if it wasn't 'the Traitor'? Was that explained?
Torturing Hunter. Or Something.

Oh, it really was that vauge, then? Right. Oh.

Jesus!

veritech · Post by **veritech** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:56 am

I just finished reading both volumes of 'All Hail Megatron' and actually was somewhat surprised. First off, I began reading this series by individually reading the first 4 issues. I dropped it because a) my local comic shop had to special order one issue just for me and; b) I became tired of a plot that seemingly went no where.

I think that this series reads better as a trade. But even still, it is a little lopsided. Vol. 1 features mainly Decepticons and humans and develops some characterization that is pretty much dropped in the second volume. Vol. 2 picks up the plot and even gives some nods to Furman's IDW-verse which is nice.

There are somethings I would like explained, however. Prime went from death's door to rallying the troops in the span of a few pages. It's never explained. What happened to the matrix of leadership? Does Megatron still have it? Did Prime get it back?

I am eagerly anticipating the Coda series to see if Furman's threads are ever properly explained.

The whole nuclear bomb thing seemed ripped straight out of Dreamwave's first G1 series.