Comics are awesome.

[Gomess]

But, wouldn't it make sense for that 70% realism to include the idea that a space-faring species is going to be on more than one planet, and that an interplanetary war would ahve important events happening on more than one planet?

Touche, good sir. But no, because accidentally crashing on one planet from another, once, as a desperate experiment to find fuel in one of only two ships they own (we're in the cartoon here; if they had more, why didn't Shockwave come after them?), does not a "space-faring species" nor "interplanetary war" make. Besides, the 70% realism implicitly asks for the fantastic elements to be underplayed, which certainly precludes adding yet MORE aliens to the mix. At least... not as early as Season 2.

Actually, I always loved the G1 animal TFs, because I figured they'd assumed those forms to blend in, but lacking the necessary organic parts, unknowingly took on entirely useless disguises. O, cruel fate!

Fair play to DvD, but that's still 90% rationalising. The tagline was always "Robots in Disguise", and that's when they're at their most entertaining to me. I remember being visibly annoyed as a kid when the focus was gradually switched to "More than Meets the Eye". Xo



"Why do you transform into cars and things?"

"Simple; disguise! Besides, it sure beats walking."

...Convenience is just a close second. ;p

[Dominic]

Assuming that they accidenty took useless animal disguises is also rationalizing though.

I am wondering why you are basing your standard on the cartoon, one of the franchise's weaker bits.

[Gomess]

I know, but *that's* the rationalising of a 7 year-old. =3 I fully accept that the animals don't work, in plot terms. But then we may as well ask why TFs have noses, and that's crossing the Silly Line, for me. Laserbeak's condor mode is effectively his robot mode, and I just accept that. Suspension of disbelief, I guess? =/ I don't ask how they all learned English, but that's not what TF is about. It IS (or should be) about robots disguising themselves as everyday things, and the adventure therein.

I'm basing my points in the cartoon because it's the last piece of TF fiction I saw, and let's face it, it IS the standard. When Joe Face thinks "Transformers", he thinks Frank Welker yelling DECEPTICONS RETREEEAT! But I've not once said the cartoon is tEh BeSt; it's got plenty of examples of what I love and loathe in TF, from Heavy Metal War's opening to the entirety of The God Gambit.

...Though Jack Angel does particularly well with Astrotrain's voice in that ep. "Complete control!"

Man, this post had nothing to do with comics. No wonder I keep leaving the boards, I'm a darned hijacker!!

[Sparky Prime]

More fundamentally, Barry was never written to be fearless. He just overcame his fears with...willpower. Hal got a ring for his ability to overcome fear, not a lack of it. If Hal is going to get the yellow scabies, a guy who was not offered a green ring is totally getting them.

Waid's run on the book established that Barry did have worries, flying being among them. (His powers would be of little use on a crashing plane, meaning he would be stuck watching other people panic and die.)

Actually, I believe what andershonh1 was referring to was why Flash didn't simply run away. Besides needing the person to feel the emotion they represent (which obviously Barry has fears), the Entities we've seen physically enter someone's body when they are taken as a host. So if Barry could have outrun Parallax, then it's possible he could have avoided becoming his host. Hence why I explained it looked like Barry was kept off balance just long enough for Parallax to physically catch him.

[andersonh1]

But what I want to know is this: how did Parallax even get to Barry? How does anything ever get to the Flash? Shouldn't he be so fast that nothing can catch him?

Between the shock/confusion of Parallax suddenly showing up, and then smashing the roof Barry was standing on, I think that kept Flash off balance just long enough for Parallax to grab him.

Yeah, that makes sense. Technically the Flash should be so fast that he's really impossible to fight or beat, but that would lead to a boring character. So I guess he's got to slip up and fail to act from time to time to keep things interesting.

I haven't read Wally as the Flash since the mid-90s, but I got the sense with him that he was more down to Earth, and not nearly as creative or skilled at using his speed as Barry, who in the six issues that I've been reading, seems to have all sorts of speed tricks up his sleeve and to play in a much broader universe than Wally ever did. But like I said, it's been awhile since I read Wally's version of the Flash, so things may have changed in the last few years.

[Dominic]

Can we ever outrun out own fears?

I guess? =/ I don't ask how they all learned English, but that's not what TF is about. It IS (or should be) about robots disguising themselves as everyday things, and the adventure therein.

The comic said they learned English, (and presumably other languages), by monitoring Earth television and radio broadcasts. Why should TF be *only* about the disguise element? This is more toy-hackery than I would expect from you Gomess.

Would any comic be well-served if it did not go beyond the level of the first few, (often painfully bad), issues?

[Gomess]

Well, that's the thing- it's not even really toyhackery, because TF has *never* really been as much about Robots in Disguise as I think it should be. It's post-toyhackery. =p

It's all relative, anyway. I don't think it should JUST be about the disguise element; I just think it should be MORE about it. Some pretty subtle changes to TF storytelling would make me a much happier fan. As it is, I prefer the continuity in my head, as I'm sure many do, heh.

...I should note, though, that I really don't like "letting you down" with my toyhackery. =[

[Dominic]

You should definitely be looking at the current series. Much of it is set on Earth. The TFs *need* to hide from the humans who are able (and sensibly willing) to kill TFs using pirated technology.

And, AHM and Wreckers are both very well written. You should read them just for that. (Frankly, I would have read either if they were "Smurf" stories.)

Dom

[Sparky Prime]

Can we ever outrun out own fears?

If you are the Flash, and if said fear is actually a creature made of fear... Then it might be a possibility at least.

And, AHM and Wreckers are both very well written.

Wreckers is very well written. AHM is not.

[Gomess]

And, AHM and Wreckers are both very well written.

Wreckers is very well written. AHM is not.

Well, I'll read them both myself and come to my own conclusion. =]