The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

The modern comics universe has had such a different take on G1, one that's significantly represented by the Generations toys, so they share a forum. A modern take on a Real Cybertronian Hero. Currently starring Generations toys, IDW "The Transformers" comics, MTMTE, TF vs GI Joe, and Windblade. Oh wait, and now Skybound, wheee!
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BWprowl
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by BWprowl »

andersonh1 wrote:My point is to wonder just when, apart from the first few issues, has Prowl actually been himself, or without some sort of outside influence? He was under Bombshell's mind control from issue 4 through 14, and then forcibly merged with Devastator in that same issue, a status which has continued to the present issue. So basically Prowl has been himself for four and a half issues out of 38. He's either been under mental control or had his mind linked and blended (and thus susceptible to influence) for much longer. It may very well be the fact that he's already fairly ruthless that allows him to function smoothly with the Constructicons, but that doesn't mean they can't have influenced him to be worse. That's all I'm saying.
Keep in mind that the 'regular' Prowl from the first four issues of RID was the one who ordered hits on Ratbat and other at-the-time-noncombatant Decepticons, who installed the head-exploding I/D chips in the others, and who in earlier stories, had sent a group of several new recruits on a veritable suicide mission to cover up scandal, and had forcibly rebuilt a lovable old man into a propaganda machine.

I'm not sure what exactly Prowl's getting up to these days (Trying to kill Spike? Who I thought we had all established as one of the Bad Guys?), but let's not pretend he was exactly a portrait of virtue before he could write off his bad behavior as Devastator-influenced brain-pain.
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by andersonh1 »

BWprowl wrote:
andersonh1 wrote:My point is to wonder just when, apart from the first few issues, has Prowl actually been himself, or without some sort of outside influence? He was under Bombshell's mind control from issue 4 through 14, and then forcibly merged with Devastator in that same issue, a status which has continued to the present issue. So basically Prowl has been himself for four and a half issues out of 38. He's either been under mental control or had his mind linked and blended (and thus susceptible to influence) for much longer. It may very well be the fact that he's already fairly ruthless that allows him to function smoothly with the Constructicons, but that doesn't mean they can't have influenced him to be worse. That's all I'm saying.
Keep in mind that the 'regular' Prowl from the first four issues of RID was the one who ordered hits on Ratbat and other at-the-time-noncombatant Decepticons, who installed the head-exploding I/D chips in the others, and who in earlier stories, had sent a group of several new recruits on a veritable suicide mission to cover up scandal, and had forcibly rebuilt a lovable old man into a propaganda machine.

I'm not sure what exactly Prowl's getting up to these days (Trying to kill Spike? Who I thought we had all established as one of the Bad Guys?), but let's not pretend he was exactly a portrait of virtue before he could write off his bad behavior as Devastator-influenced brain-pain.
I'm not saying he was a paragon of virtue. But it's surely significant that he's gone from trying to kill Decepticons to being the core component of Devastator and leader of the Constructicons.
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by BWprowl »

andersonh1 wrote:I'm not saying he was a paragon of virtue. But it's surely significant that he's gone from trying to kill Decepticons to being the core component of Devastator and leader of the Constructicons.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't he primarily using that as a means against those he sees as enemies of the Autobots?
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by andersonh1 »

BWprowl wrote:
andersonh1 wrote:I'm not saying he was a paragon of virtue. But it's surely significant that he's gone from trying to kill Decepticons to being the core component of Devastator and leader of the Constructicons.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't he primarily using that as a means against those he sees as enemies of the Autobots?
Prowl might see it that way, but it doesn't mean he's not becoming the thing he hates. Which is why I said he may not be aware of what's happening to him. It's subtle, but his shift in attitude is there.

I'm still wondering what the "nosebleeds" are indicative of.
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by Dominic »

"Nose bleeds" are a cliché for "trouble in the noggin'".

Calling it now, Prowl and the Constructicons will get back to Cybertron not long after scoop. The enema of Combination will draw out whatever remnants of Scrapper remain in Devastator, possibly implanting it in Scoop. Scrapper will be alive again. I will be annoyed and sorry I dropped the book months ago because I will be unable to drop it again.
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by andersonh1 »

Dominic wrote:"Nose bleeds" are a cliché for "trouble in the noggin'".

Calling it now, Prowl and the Constructicons will get back to Cybertron not long after scoop. The enema of Combination will draw out whatever remnants of Scrapper remain in Devastator, possibly implanting it in Scoop. Scrapper will be alive again. I will be annoyed and sorry I dropped the book months ago because I will be unable to drop it again.
Scrapper's "corpse" is presumably on Cybertron somewhere. The other Constructicons formed Devastator around the time of "Chaos" using him for a leg, as I recall. So it may be a bit simpler than having Scoop become Scrapper. It may just be a case of reviving the original either by using the Enigma or via some other means.

But yeah, Scrapper's got a toy coming out and the plot seems to suggest a return, so it does seem likely.
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by BWprowl »

Given that I'm not really paying attention to that side of the comics to begin with, along with the fact that I like Scrapper a lot and (in spite of that fact) recognize that I am literally the only person in the world who liked the comic issue where he was killed in the first place, I probably wouldn't be too put out by him getting revived.
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by JediTricks »

The preview shows actual Cybertron storylines returning to this series, so I put it back on my pull list. But it's on a short leash.
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See, that one's a camcorder, that one's a camera, that one's a phone, and they're doing "Speak no evil, See no evil, Hear no evil", get it?
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by andersonh1 »

Transformers #43
Soundwave versus Cosmos. That just about sums up this issue, as Soundwave, Blackrock and others tour the new home for the Decepticons that’s being built out past Jupiter, and Cosmos comes to spy on it under orders from Arcee. Soundwave is able to detect Cosmos thanks to his hearing, but rather than attack him, he attempts to sell the whole “Decepticons only want peace, we’re all equal, we should never have followed Megatron” garbage that he’s been pedaling for a while now. He appears to have struck a nerve with Cosmos, who warns him about the Cybertronian programming on the station, and gives a negative report to Arcee when he returns to Earth. He does get Soundwave to admit that he doesn’t see humans as equal to Cybertronians, so that bit of Decepticon philosophy hasn’t changed.

One other plot thread gets a bit of attention, and that is the fact that Blackrock has come out of nowhere, with no records of his history of life prior to about three years earlier. So is he a Pretender? An old replicant? Something else?

This series continues to be just interesting enough to keep me reading, while having enough frustrating elements to keep me debating whether or not to stick with it. It’s primarily characterization that keeps irritating me, with things like Laserbeak and Buzzsaw’s double act being annoying rather than funny as a prime example.
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Re: The Transformers (IDW, formerly "Robots in Disguise")

Post by Dominic »

Only flipped through issue 43 this week. Gonna read it all the way through later (after catching up on "Secret Wars").

Since "Dark Cybertron", it seems that they have been trying to make RiD in to another "More than Meets the Eye" in terms of whimsical dialogue and such. So, the bits with Laserbeak and Buzzsaw are not terribly surprising (even if they are annoying).


Why do you call Soundwave's current schtick garbage? I think that Barber is trying to have Soundwave go back to what his original plans were, joining the Decepticons because they were (initially) right. Galvatron is supposed to be the bad guy, while Soundwave is just trying to use Galvatron. (And, we can assume the effort will fail.)


(When I read this issue, it is going to be one of the last chances I give the current comics.)
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