Beast Wars - The Ascending trade paperback

[Sparky Prime]

Well one character would have to survive Megatron's virus/drones take over of Cybertron... But since he shows up in the show, I guess that isn't something a comic would necessarily need to cover. Anyway, I'd agree, I think there is certainly plenty of things that could be done with a pre-BM Megatron story. Even if it is fated to end on a downbeat, they could end it with the idea Primal's crew would arrive sooner or later to fight Megatron.

[Onslaught Six]

You know, as much as I love BM's desolate world, I can see a good many of the TF population getting out via evacuation. After all, there weren't any ships left on Cybertron in a useable state--and Botanica alone shows there's plenty of other TFs in the universe just hanging out. Gomess already long ago proved that BW's era was a time of colonisation and exploration for Cybertron; so it stands to reason there'd be many of them who weren't around when Megs was doing his takeover. You could even do bits where ships of bots arrive on Megs' conquered Cybertron, weeks before Primal's crew ends up back there.

This *could* be a good series if done right--because as much as I like BM, its setup is by far one of its worst elements. Skir and Isenberg turned a cute joke at the end of BW into a premise for a series. (Basically.)

[Sparky Prime]

You know, as much as I love BM's desolate world, I can see a good many of the TF population getting out via evacuation. After all, there weren't any ships left on Cybertron in a useable state--and Botanica alone shows there's plenty of other TFs in the universe just hanging out.

I wouldn't think any trying to leave Cybertron would get far, considering Megatron set the orbital defense grid to shoot everything down. And what makes you think there weren't any usable ships left? There looked to be several untouched ships just sitting around the Space Port when Blackarachnia and Rattrap tracked down the Autobot Shuttle. Plus, the Maximals found the Vehicon's loading cargo at the Space Port in "Revelations Part 2 - Decent", the purpose of which was never revealed, but there is only one reason I can think of Megatron would want cargo loaded at the space port... Being to track down any Transformers off world that weren't lured in by the distress call.

[Dominic]

The premise was not "Megatron jumps off the roof of the shuttle". it was "Megatron takes over setting up for idealogical conflict". The roof-jump was just a handy explanation for how he got away. There are any number of other ways they could have had him escape.

Was there actually a distress signal sent Sparky, or are you mixing it up with Order 66? Either way, I can see hunting down other TFs as a motivation for Megatron to go off-planet. He may also have been setting up for an expansion by conquering other planets.

In any case, I tend to assume that most of the guys on Cybertron would have been killed early on. The few who might have escaped would not be worth making a special effort to hunt down. (And, it would not be worth writing a comic about them. Any "Megatron takes over story" has to end with a full team kill for the protagonists.)


Dom
-is pretty sure this comic would come out terribly.

[Sparky Prime]

Was there actually a distress signal sent Sparky, or are you mixing it up with Order 66?

The distress call from Order 66 was disabled (and replaced by a warning) by Yoda and Obi-Wan before any of the Jedi fell into that trap. Don't you remember the episode? After being reformatted, Botanica explains how her crew was on a scientific expedition just like Primal's crew had been, but she returned to Cybertron when they received a distress call.

In any case, I tend to assume that most of the guys on Cybertron would have been killed early on. The few who might have escaped would not be worth making a special effort to hunt down.

You mean shut down. Megatron's goals were not to kill anyone, he wanted their sparks remember. And given Megatron wanted to merge his spark with all the other sparks, it is likely Megatron would have eventually made the special effort to hunt down every surviving Transformer in the universe.

(And, it would not be worth writing a comic about them. Any "Megatron takes over story" has to end with a full team kill for the protagonists.)

It wouldn't just be about the survivors. Again, there is a pretty big difference between Megatron in BW compared to his portrayal in BM. Such a comic could show where those changes came about. And even if the comic has to end on a dark note with the survivors getting their spark's yanked out, that doesn't mean their fight to continue surviving wouldn't be worth it.

-is pretty sure this comic would come out terribly.

As mentioned a few times already, it would depend on how it is handled. If done right, it would be a pretty interesting story.

[Dominic]

In my defesne, I have not watched BM for 10 years or so. But, I kind of remember the Botanica episode now that you mention it.

It is true that the creative team for this book, (that will probably never happen), would matter. I am just very skeptical that IDW would put together a good team and let said team do their work. There is no way they would be foolish enough to let Furman headline another high profile book. (At this point, I tend to think he is lucky to get the movie scraps he gets.) But, even if IDW puts a Roberts, a Roche or a Mowry on the book, would those writers be able to work without interference?


Dom
-full team kill, or nothing.

[Onslaught Six]

The premise was not "Megatron jumps off the roof of the shuttle". it was "Megatron takes over setting up for idealogical conflict". The roof-jump was just a handy explanation for how he got away. There are any number of other ways they could have had him escape.

Well, yeah...but the manner in which Megs took over, that was all "Let's take a joke and run with it."

You know, as much as I love BM's desolate world, I can see a good many of the TF population getting out via evacuation. After all, there weren't any ships left on Cybertron in a useable state--and Botanica alone shows there's plenty of other TFs in the universe just hanging out.

I wouldn't think any trying to leave Cybertron would get far, considering Megatron set the orbital defense grid to shoot everything down. And what makes you think there weren't any usable ships left? There looked to be several untouched ships just sitting around the Space Port when Blackarachnia and Rattrap tracked down the Autobot Shuttle. Plus, the Maximals found the Vehicon's loading cargo at the Space Port in "Revelations Part 2 - Decent", the purpose of which was never revealed, but there is only one reason I can think of Megatron would want cargo loaded at the space port... Being to track down any Transformers off world that weren't lured in by the distress call.

This would be...before all that, y'know? I mean, that's the other big problem I have with Megs' takeover (and it's not even like I dislike the takeover or the series itself, this is just the one niggle I have) is that it's like he does it overnight...and I don't like Megs having that much power from the get go. I view it as having happened more gradually or something. Hell, if nothing else Megs would have needed time to try and expunge the beast mode from his body--he's already visibly fucked up when we first see him.

[Sparky Prime]

This would be...before all that, y'know? I mean, that's the other big problem I have with Megs' takeover (and it's not even like I dislike the takeover or the series itself, this is just the one niggle I have) is that it's like he does it overnight...and I don't like Megs having that much power from the get go. I view it as having happened more gradually or something. Hell, if nothing else Megs would have needed time to try and expunge the beast mode from his body--he's already visibly fucked up when we first see him.

Before all of what? I mean, sure, if the takeover had been more gradual then things could have played out like that. But as you say, a problem with the cartoon is that they didn't take it gradually with the virus and the drones quickly taking out the entire planet. I'm sure the writers probably did it that way in order to explain that no one had the opportunity to escape the planet.

[Onslaught Six]

Perhaps I'm not getting through--I've always envisioned that prior to the full development of the virus, Megatron was doing other attacks. Basically he was a terrorist--pulling random bombings, attacking political leaders, shit like that. Maybe I'm wrong but that's the exact kind of question this type of series would answer.

Damn it! Now I want this book. Even if it's terrible, so I can bitch about how much better my ideas are.

[andersonh1]

Perhaps I'm not getting through--I've always envisioned that prior to the full development of the virus, Megatron was doing other attacks. Basically he was a terrorist--pulling random bombings, attacking political leaders, shit like that. Maybe I'm wrong but that's the exact kind of question this type of series would answer.

Damn it! Now I want this book. Even if it's terrible, so I can bitch about how much better my ideas are.

And to me, that's one of the stronger aspects of "The Ascending". It helps to explain how Megatron was able to move in and take over, because the social structure of Cybertron was in such a shambles because of the Anglomois that had been distributed to so much of the populace. Megatron faced a society that was already in chaos. Much easier to move in and take the steps he did when the authorities were busy cleaning up and restoring order and had their attention diverted elsewhere.