G2 comic series - retro review thread

The originals... ok, not exactly, but the original named "The TransFormers" anyway. Take THAT, Diaclone!
Generation 1, Generation 2 - Removable fists? Check. Unlicensed vehicle modes? Check. Kickass tape deck robot with transforming cassette minions? DOUBLE CHECK!!!
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138 Scourge
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

Post by 138 Scourge »

Hah. Megatron put up with all those times that Starscream tried to take over as Decepticon leader, but let Bludgeon do it just once (after Megatron was pretty much incapacitated, no less, and it's off with his head. Granted, Bludgeon's era of running things didn't go particularly well, but still.

I always liked Bludgeon and Ratbat's terms as Decepticon leaders. It was kinda fun to have these relatively minor guys replacing Megatron.
Dominic wrote: too many people likely would have enjoyed it as....well a house-elf gang-bang.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

Post by andersonh1 »

138 Scourge wrote:Hah. Megatron put up with all those times that Starscream tried to take over as Decepticon leader, but let Bludgeon do it just once (after Megatron was pretty much incapacitated, no less, and it's off with his head. Granted, Bludgeon's era of running things didn't go particularly well, but still.
If it hadn't been for the Last Autobot ressurecting them, Bludgeon would have finished off just about all the Autobots left after Unicron's attack. He was actually pretty effective. And then even after that, he and his troops built the Warworld. Not too shabby.
I always liked Bludgeon and Ratbat's terms as Decepticon leaders. It was kinda fun to have these relatively minor guys replacing Megatron.
Yeah, that was refreshing, to have someone other than Megatron leading the 'Cons. Especially, as you say, such minor figures who got elevated to top dog.

Hey, I paid $70 for a complete G1 Bludgeon a few years ago. That's how much I enjoyed the character's depiction in the comics. I didn't shell out that much for a Transformer very often. Sold some others on Ebay to get the cash, but still...
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

Post by 138 Scourge »

andersonh1 wrote:
If it hadn't been for the Last Autobot ressurecting them, Bludgeon would have finished off just about all the Autobots left after Unicron's attack. He was actually pretty effective. And then even after that, he and his troops built the Warworld. Not too shabby.
DIdn't think about that. Of course, Megatron wouldn't have known this what with being dead at the time. Now I sorta wonder if he would've not killed Bludgeon had he known that.
I always liked Bludgeon and Ratbat's terms as Decepticon leaders. It was kinda fun to have these relatively minor guys replacing Megatron.
andersonh1 wrote: Hey, I paid $70 for a complete G1 Bludgeon a few years ago. That's how much I enjoyed the character's depiction in the comics. I didn't shell out that much for a Transformer very often. Sold some others on Ebay to get the cash, but still...
I think I remember the strip where new Bludgeon showed up, too. I don't go nuts buying G1 toys for big moneys that often, either. I think the most I've spent was a hundred ten dolla for Piranacon, but I just had to do it.
Dominic wrote: too many people likely would have enjoyed it as....well a house-elf gang-bang.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

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138 Scourge wrote:I think I remember the strip where new Bludgeon showed up, too. I don't go nuts buying G1 toys for big moneys that often, either. I think the most I've spent was a hundred ten dolla for Piranacon, but I just had to do it.
That's right, I did make a comic about that, didn't I? I had an incomplete Bludgeon I sold to make the money for the complete one. Got about half the cash that way. Yeah, I rarely pay that much for a little hunk of plastic. Heh.. I remember when I won the Ebay auction, my wife said "How much did you pay for that?" "Don't worry, I'm selling the old one and some other stuff on Ebay to pay for it." :lol:

I got lucky with Piranacon. Like the G1 Predacons, I inherited the Seacons when my brother moved out, back when we were still living at home. He didn't want to keep his Transformers, so he let me have them. I put 'em in a box in the closet, and dug them out years later, still in decent shape.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

Post by andersonh1 »

Issue 6
The Gathering Darkness

I like Bludgeon’s “skull” as a trophy on a stand. Nice visual.

After killing Bludgeon, Megatron gets a tour of the Warworld courtesy of Swindle, and is shown what Bludgeon had planned and accomplished, including the new Decepticons awaiting the Matrix life force. In a nice character moment, Megatron expresses some admiration for Bludgeon’s vision and comments that he might not have removed him quite so entirely from the picture had he known more before he killed him. It’s telling that Megatron adopts Bludgeon’s plan to draw out Prime without so much as a pause, and that he allows the Decepticons to continue blowing the tar out of Earth.

From this point on in the series, Megatron begins to receive some serious character “rounding” as facets of his personality beyond megalomania and boundless ambition begin to be shown. His admiration for Bludgeon and adoption of his strategy are illustrative of that. The version of Megatron that we see throughout the second half of the G2 story is one I’d love to have read more of, but sadly we haven’t seen him since that series ended. Swindle’s clearly terrified of him, and fear is certainly one tool Megatron uses to maintain power. But he also begins to show flashes of wit and charisma, as well as insight, such as when he tells Soundwave that he’s well aware that Starscream will betray him, and that once the new troops are online, that it may be better to go ahead and dispose of him before that can happen. Most Decepticons are brutal and tough, and an illustration of why that isn't enough, and why Megatron is the leader rather than others is something I always appreciate.

I feel like I’m reading some unseen chapters of “All Hail Megatron” once again with some of this story, at least on a superficial level. The Decepticons attack cities and military worldwide with no effective resistance from the humans. We even get Starscream wondering why humanity would defend such a strategically unimportant piece of ground as we see the Lincoln Memorial in the background. At least a burning and broken Air Force One isn’t lying in front of it.

Character-wise, Megatron’s cadre of Decepticons noticeably takes the place of Bludgeon’s crew in this issue, with the various jets, Soundwave, and some of his cassettes moving to the forefront. Octopunch and Stranglehold are still around, as we’ll see later, but Megatron’s “favorites” regain prominence. G. I. Joe also makes reappearance in this issue, as they try to get some Autobot help to defend the Earth. I’m not really a Joe fan, and I’m not sure Joes and Transformers really mix, but this minor appearance doesn’t bother me too much.

Overall: why can’t the entire series look like this? Why couldn’t Yaniger draw faster? This story is a nice mix of action and characterization, particularly for Megatron. A strong chapter.

Tales of Earth Part Three
Prime arrives on Earth alone to talk with Megatron. Big mistake, as it almost gets him killed. Of course, turning Tantrum into roadkill wasn’t the smartest way to defuse the tension, always assuming that was possible in the first place. Megatron clearly hates Prime and inflicts considerable damage and pain on him before taunting him as he steals the Matrix. He’s about to kill him when Grimlock arrives with a group of Autobots and rescues Prime. Thankfully Prime gets a few words in about Jhiaxus’ Decepticons, which he is fairly sure will send Megatron off in the direction of Jhiaxus army.

It’s interesting to see a couple of things happen in this story. First, Prime clearly knows Megatron fairly well, but it would seem not quite well enough. He rightly predicts that mentioning Jhiaxus will send Megatron looking for the Cybertronian commander, but he also believes that Megatron will be willing to talk, which turns out to be a nearly fatal error.

And after Prowl’s prominent role in IDW comics, it’s odd to see him reduced to a cameo and a foil for Grimlock. I’ve grown so used to him as the second in command that I forget how little page time he used to get in the old comics. Of course, it was the same way in the cartoon, to the point where I thought Jazz was second in command. Prowl’s prominence as a character seems to have begun with Dreamwave, unless there are some UK comics that gave him a greater role. I have to get around to reading those one day…

issue 6 dead: Tantrum. He’s roadkill as Prime slams into him, causing him to explode. Bye-bye Predaking.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

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Hah. Megatron put up with all those times that Starscream tried to take over as Decepticon leader, but let Bludgeon do it just once (after Megatron was pretty much incapacitated, no less, and it's off with his head. Granted, Bludgeon's era of running things didn't go particularly well, but still.

Bludgeon actually did pretty good as leader. He lost one major engagement, (issue 80 of G1), but most of his troops were pretty happy during his reign.

That may actually be why Megatron killed him. Starscream might try to become leader. But, Megatron out-ranked him, making him less of a threat. Bludgeon was not only in power when Megatron came back, but he would have had enough support to be hard to remove using any method short of killing him.

Granted, Megatron might not have known specifically how well Bludgeon was doing. But, assuming Megatron looked around before showing hup, he would have at least known Bludgeon was not screwing it up completely.

And, in fairness, Megatron does admit he might have made a teensy mistake killing Bludgeon so off-handedly.



As for Prowl, he got a fair amount of time in the Marvel G1 comic as well.

Dom
-wanted a Bludgeon until actually seeing the toy.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

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andersonh1 wrote:Issue 6
And after Prowl’s prominent role in IDW comics, it’s odd to see him reduced to a cameo and a foil for Grimlock. I’ve grown so used to him as the second in command that I forget how little page time he used to get in the old comics. Of course, it was the same way in the cartoon, to the point where I thought Jazz was second in command. Prowl’s prominence as a character seems to have begun with Dreamwave, unless there are some UK comics that gave him a greater role. I have to get around to reading those one day…



Prowl was in charge back in early G1, while the Decepticons had Prime's head. Of course, after Prime died, Prowl wasn't even in the running for the "New Leader" position. And he became Grimlock's second in command during the end of the Marvel G1 comics. So Marvel thought he was a big deal, at least a couple times.
Dominic wrote: too many people likely would have enjoyed it as....well a house-elf gang-bang.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

Post by andersonh1 »

That's right, I had forgotten that he did have a prominent role in the last few issues of the original. So yeah, strange to see him with such a minor role in G2.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

Post by Onslaught Six »

And yeah, the UK too. I can't remember if all those issues where the Aerialbots are complete failures and Prime hates himself for it are US or UK issues, but Prowl features pretty heavily in those too, IIRC.
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Re: G2 comic series - retro review thread

Post by 138 Scourge »

Onslaught Six wrote: all those issues where the Aerialbots are complete failures
Wow, it's not just me, there's context for them sucking? Awesome.
Dominic wrote: too many people likely would have enjoyed it as....well a house-elf gang-bang.
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