IDW Ongoing Comics(Stormbringer Spotlight Infiltration Escalation Devastation AHMetc.

Doctor DooM

WARNING- HUGEMONGOUS SPOILERS IN THIS LINK!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23587

Still not masively sold on Don's new art style.


Galvasean says: I have edited the thread title so this can be our thread for discussing all things in the IDW continuity.
The IDW Beast Wars, Hearts of Steel, Marvel reprints etc. can be discussed elsewhere
Remember guys, spoiler tags!
Rock on!

Galvasean

I'm only starting to get back into the IDW verse. Ive read up to the end of Revelation. Missed all of Maximum Dinobots and All Hail Megatron (except the first two issues). Should be able to pick up in Ongoing #1. Although, Id rather see about picking up the TPBs I missed. Anybody know where to get them? (prefereably without purchasing online). Forbidden Plenet (where I gor Revelation) didn't have any of them.

Interesting artistic style, it's like they've 'evolved' to a point between Classic G1 style and Movie style. Previous IDW books always seemed to be hinting at this.

projectmayhem

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Still not masively sold on Don's new art style.

+1
Hard to explain but while the style is good it doesn't feel "special" or transformers-ish

Doctor DooM

projectmayhem wrote: »

+1
Hard to explain but while the style is good it doesn't feel "special" or transformers-ish

Think it's because the faces are so different...

Galvasean

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Think it's because the faces are so different...

Yeah, they look a bit too movie-esque, which is far removed from what we're used to. I mean whatever about them changing their bodies over time. That's technology and what not, but would there be any practical reason for their faces to change?

Doctor DooM

Galvasean wrote: »

Yeah, they look a bit too movie-esque, which is far removed from what we're used to. I mean whatever about them changing their bodies over time. That's technology and what not, but would there be any practical reason for their faces to change?

On a pure artistic level I think the further removed from human their faces are the harder it is to connect with them as characters.

Galvasean

Doctor DooM wrote: »

On a pure artistic level I think the further removed from human their faces are the harder it is to connect with them as characters.

Hot Rod's face has plenty of emotion when he's gasping in horror in that close up panel. The only thing is, it doesn't really look like Hot Rod's face to me. I remember in the Dreamwave ongoing comic Don had the faces of Hot Rod, Kup etc. down to a tee. Every little smirk, wrinkle and emotion was captured beautifully. From what Ive seen these new faces look fairly similar. Hopefully as Don gets used to the new style they'll look sufficiently different from each other.
I'll give it a few issues and see how it goes.

Here's a big ol' promtion pic Don did. Bit more variety in the faces. Although the Dinobots look VERY Beast wars era. Not too sure how to feel about that.

Doctor DooM

If I am correct Seany, that's not Hot Rod- Rodimus and Hot Rod have been seperated a la Megs and Galva during Furmans run.

I dunno, I feel I have to work harder to see what they're feeling, maybe tis just me.

It's nitular picking anyways, the art's beautiful, it's hardly going to

RUIN TRANSFORMERS FOREVAAAAA!!1!!

Galvasean

Doctor DooM wrote: »

If I am correct Seany, that's not Hot Rod- Rodimus and Hot Rod have been seperated a la Megs and Galva during Furmans run.

Crap, serves me right for missing out on three full TPBs.

Doctor Doom wrote:

It's nitular picking anyways, the art's beautiful, it's hardly going to

RUIN TRANSFORMERS FOREVAAAAA!!1!!

Ah yes, just how Repaints, the Death of Optimus Prime, Wheelie, seeing Prime's face in the Marvel comic, Generation 2, Beast Wars, Beast Machines, RiD, Pretty much every last thing in the 'Unicron Trilogy', Pat Lee's drawing style, the downfall of Dreamwave, flames on Optimus Prime, Bumblebee not speaking, the RotF twins, terrible continuity, the untimely demise of Animated etc.
they killed the brand man

Doctor DooM

Galvasean wrote: »

Crap, serves me right for missing out on three full TPBs.



Ah yes, just how Repaints, the Death of Optimus Prime, Wheelie, seeing Prime's face in the Marvel comic, Generation 2, Beast Wars, Beast Machines, RiD, Pretty much every last thing in the 'Unicron Trilogy', Pat Lee's drawing style, the downfall of Dreamwave, flames on Optimus Prime, Bumblebee not speaking, the RotF twins, terrible continuity, the untimely demise of Animated etc.they killed the brand man

And lest the fanboys forget, there was a time animated itself was going to RUIN TRANSFORMERS FOREVER.

Galvasean

Doctor DooM wrote: »

And lest the fanboys forget, there was a time animated itself was going to RUIN TRANSFORMERS FOREVER.

We are happy in our constantly transforming state on melancholy...

Doctor DooM

Galvasean wrote: »

We are happy in our constantly transforming state on melancholy...

Trukk not munky, munky not firengine, fireengine not trukk, trukk not too many pies trukk, too many pies trukk not space trukk, space trukk not flame trukk, flame trukk not teen trukk, TEEN TRUKK NOT G1 TRUKK!

constitutionus

Galvasean wrote: »

I'm only starting to get back into the IDW verse. Ive read up to the end of Revelation. Missed all of Maximum Dinobots and All Hail Megatron (except the first two issues). Should be able to pick up in Ongoing #1. Although, Id rather see about picking up the TPBs I missed. Anybody know where to get them? (prefereably without purchasing online). Forbidden Plenet (where I gor Revelation) didn't have any of them.

Interesting artistic style, it's like they've 'evolved' to a point between Classic G1 style and Movie style. Previous IDW books always seemed to be hinting at this.

sad fact is the books get no love from irish comic book retailers. at least in dublin. you'd actually have a better chance in places like waterstones or hodges and figis so you best bet, sadly , is online.

bar that though you could ask the lads in forbiden planet to order the trades for you. they do it all the time for novels.

BUT.

IDW are producing a title called "transformers continuum" which is basically a fill in the gaps book for new readers. it covers pretty much everything from megatron origin onwards. its mostly text with reused images.

on the whole new "look" im not a great fan of it and TBH was gonna give the book a miss (sacraleige i know ) but the story concepts hooked me

its basically the autobots vrs the human race with nary a con to be seen, seeing as the humans have all the derived weapons from skywatch they can actually hurt em, hence the death in the preview, so the bots are gonna have to start killing humans.

the bumblebee mini, which i had no intention of buying , basically focuses on TF captured by humans and forced to work for them hunting their fellow bots/cons. something to do with explosives in their heads i think ala what furman did to shockwave in maximum dinobots.

so this might explain the more inhuman look to the bots faces. a way of dehumanising them to justify the story concepts above in the eyes of ordinary humans.

to be brutally honest though i bought G2 and the art in that, with notable exceptions, was shyte so weve done alot worse than this in the past.

Doctor DooM

constitutionus wrote: »

sad fact is the books get no love from irish comic book retailers. at least in dublin. you'd actually have a better chance in places like waterstones or hodges and figis so you best bet, sadly , is online.

bar that though you could ask the lads in forbiden planet to order the trades for you. they do it all the time for novels.

BUT.

IDW are producing a title called "transformers continuum" which is basically a fill in the gaps book for new readers. it covers pretty much everything from megatron origin onwards. its mostly text with reused images.

on the whole new "look" im not a great fan of it and TBH was gonna give the book a miss (sacraleige i know ) but the story concepts hooked me

its basically the autobots vrs the human race with nary a con to be seen, seeing as the humans have all the derived weapons from skywatch they can actually hurt em, hence the death in the preview, so the bots are gonna have to start killing humans.

the bumblebee mini, which i had no intention of buying , basically focuses on TF captured by humans and forced to work for them hunting their fellow bots/cons. something to do with explosives in their heads i think ala what furman did to shockwave in maximum dinobots.

so this might explain the more inhuman look to the bots faces. a way of dehumanising them to justify the story concepts above in the eyes of ordinary humans.

to be brutally honest though i bought G2 and the art in that, with notable exceptions, was shyte so weve done alot worse than this in the past.

Wow interesting. I only read in trade so Im oblivious to alot.

Reports on continuum are awful though. http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Main_Page if you wanna catch up Seany

constitutionus

thanks for the link.

i had no idea such a bitchfest was going on !

i hang around the IDW boards alot under another username but didnt see this as as ive already got most of the books online in individual issue form so the continuum book is kinda redundant to me and as such i'd no intention of buying it or reading threads on it.

bit of an over reaction by the mod but i suppose he'll calm down later. its the first time i seen him blow his top like that.

from that link it does indeed look like a crap book though as there are some pretty basic mistakes mentioned.

Galvasean

I have a Maximum Dinobots reserved now I'll pick up Continuum and anything else I can get my greasy mits on.

As for the G2 art style, I absolutely adore it. 80s pop art FTW

Doctor DooM

constitutionus wrote: »

thanks for the link.

i had no idea such a bitchfest was going on !

i hang around the IDW boards alot under another username but didnt see this as as ive already got most of the books online in individual issue form so the continuum book is kinda redundant to me and as such i'd no intention of buying it or reading threads on it.

bit of an over reaction by the mod but i suppose he'll calm down later. its the first time i seen him blow his top like that.

from that link it does indeed look like a crap book though as there are some pretty basic mistakes mentioned.

That wiki is no joke. Chris McFeely and Dave Willis. Their voice carries weight internationally in the TF community.

Doctor DooM

Galvasean wrote: »

I have a Maximum Dinobots reserved now I'll pick up Continuum and anything else I can get my greasy mits on.

As for the G2 art style, I absolutely adore it. 80s pop art FTW

I loved G2's art style too, I was growing up with it so it was awesomely modern and dark

constitutionus

i liked what derek and geoff did.

in fact geoff did some of his best work in the last double sized issues

unfortunetly most of the books run was manny galen's and i just didnt like it at all.

i miss G2 as a storyline though. it had a real sci fi war edge to it.

Doctor DooM

constitutionus wrote: »

i liked what derek and geoff did.

in fact geoff did some of his best work in the last double sized issues

unfortunetly most of the books run was manny galen's and i just didnt like it at all.

i miss G2 as a storyline though. it had a real sci fi war edge to it.

G2 Megs was also my favourite. Still a double hard bastard but almost believable as a war monger, more a dark reflection of Prime than his opposite number.

Doctor DooM

http://www.tformers.com/ig.php?mode=view&album=12639&pic=88936_236183_6.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0

bigger preview here.

Galvasean

Modelmaniacs/DublinCityComics of Temple Bar will have it tomorrow.

Read Maximum Dinobots ,up as far as AHM#7 and Continuum today. Im all geared up now. :)question: that Decepticon car guy (he just kind of showed up in AHM), that's Breakdown right?

Doctor DooM

Galvasean wrote: »

Modelmaniacs/DublinCityComics of Temple Bar will have it tomorrow.

Read Maximum Dinobots ,up as far as AHM#7 and Continuum today. Im all geared up now. :)question: that Decepticon car guy (he just kind of showed up in AHM), that's Breakdown right?

Yarp.

Galvasean

Read an interview with IDW's publishing editor. He doesn't reveal a whole lot:

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/interviews-27/tfw2005-interviews-idw-publishing-editor-andy-schmidt-168776/

Doctor DooM

Galvasean wrote: »

Read an interview with IDW's publishing editor. He doesn't reveal a whole lot:

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/interviews-27/tfw2005-interviews-idw-publishing-editor-andy-schmidt-168776/

Kinda read "please don't hate us".

chopperbyrne

First issue of the new ongoing series is out tomorrow.

Two huge events happen that I won't spoil.

First comic I'll be buying in quite some time.

Galvasean

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Kinda read "please don't hate us".

Asking transformers fans not to hate you is like peeing into the wind - futile.

Galvasean

chopperbyrne wrote: »

Two huge events happen that I won't spoil.

Just visited tfw2005.com and there was a MASSIVE spoiler on the frontpage. :mad:

Doctor DooM

Galvasean wrote: »

Just visited tfw2005.com and there was a MASSIVE spoiler on the frontpage. :mad:

Sigh.


THAT old storyline.

projectmayhem

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Sigh.


THAT old storyline.

Ugh. Why did they make that so prominent? I didn't even have to wait for the page to load for spoilers to pop up in my face - in bright blue too

Galvasean

Heaven forbid people should liek to READ their comics.
I mean a generous preview of teh issue is one thing. The first few pages is a nice thing to get in order to whet one's appetite, but showing you the last page and shoving the entire story hook in your face is seriously uncool!

Doctor DooM

I'd ban them for not using spoiler tags.

But yeah there's prob no reason to read that issue now.

Eplains why

Rodimus

is suddenly so prominent though, doesn't it?

projectmayhem

Interestingly, IDW are going on the new PSP comic digital download service, so I imagine TF will feature in that.

As for the storyline here... I'll still end up checking it out. I won't be happy because the entire story arc is a bit ruined, but I guess it's how they get to "that" stage in the story, and what happens after that matters.

Doctor DooM

projectmayhem wrote: »

Interestingly, IDW are going on the new PSP comic digital download service, so I imagine TF will feature in that.

As for the storyline here... I'll still end up checking it out. I won't be happy because the entire story arc is a bit ruined, but I guess it's how they get to "that" stage in the story, and what happens after that matters.

We all know Primes going to have to be released/find faith in himself to fight whatever the series big bad is, and the autobots will appear incompetent in the meantime. How many times did Marvel work this angle?

I hope the above is totally wrong by the way.

Galvasean

Finally picked up Ongoing #1 today and it's a good read. If it werent for all the preview spoilers and that BIG spoiler on tfw2005 I would have been blown away.
Still not completely sold on the robot faces though. While there was some good emotion in there, Bumblebee and Hot Rod have basically the same face. I loved Spike Witwicky's ironic "Where do they come up with these names?" quip.
Anyone notice in the issue 2 cover preview it labelled Hot rod as Rodimus? Hmmm......... It seems to be fixed now though.
Newsarama have a five page preview of #2. It's not as spoilerific as issue 1, but viewer discretion is advised:
http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=32253


I love Brawn's new design. Very macho. I like where the story is headed.
Gotta love the new Omega Supreme too:


edit: I have also been informed that due to great demand #1 has had a second printing. Here is the new cover:

Galvasean

Wait wait wait, WHAAAAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!??!?!?!
There's HOW MANY issues of All Hail Megatron?

Didn't

Megatron die at the end of issue 12?

I'm picking up AHM volume 2 today.

PS: I have edited the thread title so this can be our thread for discussing all things in the IDW continuity.
The IDW Beast Wars, Hearts of Steel, Marvel reprints etc. can be discussed elsewhere

constitutionus

ooh i like that new cover for the reprint !

very nice.

the lads on the IDW site are saying the second issue tones down the facial features a fair bit so i think dons still finding his feet with his new style. the dinosaur i have in work wont let me see the preview pages properly but i got an email off my supplier telling me the second issue is due out this thursday so hopefully i'll have it in my mits by monday.

from what i COULD make out the tone seems to be quite intrigueing and i have to admit brawn does indeed look great

i still havent got issue one yet (its being packaged with issue two and TOTF 4 ) but im looking forward to getting em.

not as much as the wreckers book in january mind, but still im giving it a chance.

Doctor DooM

Second preview looks much more inriguing and moody to me.

Galvasean

So I read All Hail Megatron Volume 2 and thought it was a good read. I'll spoilerise my thoughts and questions just for safety.

The good:

Great to see Omega Supreme finally cut loose.

After a disappointing showing in the Dreamwave comics

where he gets beaten by Sunstorm

and in Spotlight: Optimus Prime

where Monstructor batters him

.

I also really enjoyed the scenes involving the Autobots on Cybertron. There was some great tension and character building there, while the Swarm posed as a real menace.
Bombshell's character was well written as an intellectual schemer. His argument with Skywarp, not to mention the argy bargy between the Insecticons and Thundercracker and Skywarp, were both well done.
Speaking of Thundercracker, finally a comic gets his character spot on!
Megatron taking on Devastator was pretty epic. The artwork was great there too.
There was a really creepy scene with Reflector toying with the human/talking to himself. I loved it.

The bad:

The artwork gets really crap when Spike and the other humans fight Rumble. I could have drawn that well, which isn't saying a whole lot. In fact, that whole scene was a bit ridiculous. I mean, Spike charging out on a motorcycle was very cringeworthy.

Optimus Prime's return was pretty out of the blue. One minute he's practically dead, then Ratchet does something and he's back, better than ever!

Questions:
Drift:

Is he supposed to be Ramjet or something? He calls Thundercracker his brother at one point while Bumblebee questioned his right to bein the same room as the Autobots. Plus he has a similar colour palette. Simon Furman did say at one point that Ramjet might not be gone for good.
Maybe I'm reading into it far too much. I don't think anyone as sadistic as Ramjet could ever become an Autobot.

Dirge and Breakdown:

They end up on Cybertron with the Autobots and it's heavily implied taht the Autobots unload a can of whoop-ass on them. But, Breakdown is on Earth in ongoing #1.

Refelector: In Spotlight Wheelie

don't the Reflector bots die? According to Continuum this story takes place long before AHM. Or is Reflector meant to be a seperate entity from Spectro, Spyglass and Viewfinder? They did look different...

Volumes 3 and 4?

I mean where is the story set to go from here?

Nemesis Prime

Dublin City Comics have moved into Modelmania in Crow St, Temple Bar and are now selling the latest IDW Transformers titles. The best thing is that they are selling them at the Cover price in Euros, so $3.99 on the cover means you pay €3.99 which is cheaper than all the other comic stores. To find out more or start up a standing order ,contact them at dublincitycomics@yahoo.com

MarkHall

Galvasean wrote: »

Refelector: In Spotlight Wheelie

don't the Reflector bots die? According to Continuum this story takes place long before AHM. Or is Reflector meant to be a seperate entity from Spectro, Spyglass and Viewfinder? They did look different...

Yup. But AHM is Fanfic and has no bearing on the overallIDW story.

AHM brought out the hater in me big time.

Even if Drift wasn't in it. It just stunk up the joint.
And made little or no sense with what has come before.

Galvasean wrote: »

Optimus Prime's return was pretty out of the blue. One minute he's practically dead, then Ratchet does something and he's back, better than ever!

Yeah I figured the trade I read had some missing pages. but apparently not.

And Transformer versus Nuke was silly when DW did it. Why did the nuke have to be dropped atall if the plane was decepticon.

Galvasean

MarkHall wrote: »

And Transformer versus Nuke was silly when DW did it. Why did the nuke have to be dropped atall if the plane was decepticon.

I felt it was better done this time round. I think

Megatron wanted to let the nuke be dropped in order to spite/kill the Autobots

Oh yeah, I slapped some spoilers on your post mark, just in case.

Nemesis Prime wrote: »

Dublin City Comics have moved into Modelmania in Crow St, Temple Bar and are now selling the latest IDW Transformers titles. The best thing is that they are selling them at the Cover price in Euros, so $3.99 on the cover means you pay €3.99 which is cheaper than all the other comic stores. To find out more or start up a standing order ,contact them at dublincitycomics@yahoo.com

Yeah, it's so refreshing to pick up a comic for less than a fiver. I've already got my standing order for ngoing, Bumblebee and Wreckers.

Speaking of the Wreckers I'm really looking forward to that one. Loved Nick Roche's work* on Maximum Dinobots. That guy can really do an action scene!

*that said I loved the James Raiz bits. He really captured the gritty atmosphere of

the Monsterbots' ship. Speaking of whom, what a surprise that was! (well, had it not been written on the back of the TP..)

I think Raiz is my favourite of the TF comic artists. His robot faces display amazing amounts of emotion. Anyone know if he has anything in the pipeline?

Galvasean

Spotlight Prowl is coming in April

Another Q&A session with Andy Schmidt. Some tough questions posed here:
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/interviews-27/idw-publishing-qa-answers-for-november-2009-168879/

edit: oh hey, our very own ChopperByrne is in there

MarkHall

No problem Sean.
Should have done it but I was in rant mode.

Wreckers should be Bloody great. Nicks Kup back story in AHM. Was one of the few bits I enjoyed.

The Bumble Bee mini has had some good covers.

Galvasean

6 page preview of Bumblebee#1:
http://www.previewsworld.com/public/default.asp?t=1&m=1&c=23&s=216&ai=89837&ssd=

Looks promising. Atwork is fairly retro but I like it.

constitutionus

i have to say ive caved and decided to get that bumblebee mini.

i wasnt going to get it but the solicits were showing a really interesting story and the art harkens back to the really early days of the ol marvel uk series with a lovely kinda washed painted feel to it.

i really like the way omega looks in that pic and the sence of scale with BB in the foreground really comes across.

its also fun to see the ol "how do we get fed ?" angle being touched on again. i bugged me big time in the movie that their fuel was never broached after 2 years on earth living in a garage , so things like omega being so low on energon that he cant transform is kinda cool.

it shows a logical progression of "real world" thinking at work by the writer that bodes well for the story.

oh and on the AHM trades thing.

its just a marketing ploy to cash in on it . apparently for all the slagging it got off fans AHMs made a bloody fortune. the next two trades are really just the coda series of short stories and the last four (or is it five? ) spotlights , cliffjumper , metroplex etc

oh and on the nuke thing , i thought it was megs plan from the start to level new york to send out a signal to the humans that he couldnt be stopped while "theyd" just killed all the remaining human refugees. ok it wasnt made clear if the structure he was building was shielded or not. but it was clear he knew what was going on thanks to the troops he had stashed amongst the army (one of the BEST reveals after such an overt story), not to mention octane himself (refuse to use the tankor name ) carrying the bomb

Galvasean

constitutionus wrote: »

oh and on the AHM trades thing.

its just a marketing ploy to cash in on it . apparently for all the slagging it got off fans AHMs made a bloody fortune. the next two trades are really just the coda series of short stories and the last four (or is it five? ) spotlights , cliffjumper , metroplex etc

Ah crap, I have spotlight Cliffjumper and Metroplex and hav eordered AHM3 and 4. Crap.

MarkHall

Bumble Bee is in Charge? How the heck does anyone go for that?

Galvasean

Cause everybody else worth their salt upped n' left?
I would have thought Prowl and Hound would have been higher up in the pecking order.

MarkHall

And Wheelies trapped on an unknown planet.

Shame he didn't get the Matrix before prime went.

chopperbyrne

Didn't realise my question was used for that Q&A.

Unfortunate that they can't legally continue any DW stuff as the Armada/Energon comics were really good.

Ongoing #2 was very good as was Bumblebee #1.

Very happy with IDW at the moment and hope they keep the license for many years.