IDW Motion Comic - TF: Punishment

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!
Post Reply
User avatar
JediTricks
Site Admin
Posts: 3849
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:17 pm
Location: LA, CA, USA

IDW Motion Comic - TF: Punishment

Post by JediTricks »

I just finished reading this on the Madefire app, all 5 parts of the motion comic. All total it's 44 pages, so I guess when they print it it'll be in 2 parts.

This is the first motion comic I've read. Ramondelli's art isn't my taste in general, but I do appreciate it and think it's a little misused here because it works so much better on page as "art" than the moving bits and close-ups that were way bigger on my monitor than they would be on page - a single panel blown up to 22" is not going to be as flattering (each panel gets its own look, you move panel to panel and even move within panels, so it's a somewhat different experience from taking in a standard page). As a motion comic, it's not meant to be taken as a cartoon, it's almost like a modern pop-up book in that static elements move for emphasis but a few of the elements actually are animations too. A few places, the motion definitely enhanced showing what the writer was intending where a static comic book page can't; and there was one trick with depth-of-field where the focus shifted, that was nicely dramatic within a single panel. There's original music, and while I appreciate that it is created to set the tone, this is something I think a younger reader might get more out of, I prefer to set my own musical voice in my mind when I'm reading, and a few places it stayed dark where I thought levity could have helped. The sound effects were fair but again more for a younger reader who might enjoy those cues since they haven't built their own imagination's library of sounds yet. There's plenty going on in general but it doesn't take away from the reading experience, although it may not enhance it for some readers.

As for story, this is a one-shot set at some time after the Autobots return to Earth and Windblade has had personal dealings with Starscream. I don't want to give away too much of the story since it's a whodunit, there are murders and Optimus Prime has returned to Cybertron for a personal reason only to get wrapped up in the investigation. There are a few lesser-seen characters who get some time, but this isn't a big cast. Barber writes the story dark but with a little levity. Ramondelli draws it uncompromisingly dark as usual, and this team obviously makes it feel like an extension of Optimus' side of Syndromica since it can be seen as an epilogue. A lot of Decepticons are living in a ghetto outside of Metroplex, trying to make their way away from the new Cybertron lifestyle, and Optimus investigating brings out old pains. The philosophy has some ground, the first half makes a convincing argument but I could have used a little more time working that out towards the end where it had to take a back seat to plot, and the little button at the end really doesn't feel quite satisfying enough as a character moment, yet overall it all works together. I think had there been more time to plant seeds to this in earlier issues of RID and Windblade, this actually would have been a damned satisfying read; but as a one-shot that has to do all the heavy lifting building up the plot, executing it, confounding it, and then solving it, it's only a fair Transformers book, "good enough" but not outstanding.

If you are enjoying the story elements of Windblade and how RID left things on Cybertron, I would recommend either reading the motion comic on the Madefire app (especially if you have Windows 8, where all 5 parts are currently free - download Madefire from the Microsoft Windows 8 store for free, then use the app to download all 5 comics for free), or picking up the print version once it comes out, whenever that will be (it hasn't yet been decided).
Image
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?
Post Reply