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

[JediTricks]

Robots in Disguise #17:

I grabbed the Coller cover without checking the internal artist, and am kind of wishing that I grabbed the Ramondelli cover instead.

That's the cover I got pulled for me, it fits the content very well but Shockwave's head is TINY on it, easily 30% smaller than in the issue using that body.

In any case, this issue largely rehashes Shockwave's origin, and it touches on a point that I made (that even the pre-Shadow Play Shockwave had the potential to become a monster). There is some explication about the various energon ores that were hinted at earlier in IDW's run, and a few planets from earlier issues were revealed to have been part of Shockwave's ReGenesis project. Not a bad issue, but definitely set-up for the next big thing.

Grade: C


Dom
-not specifically anticipating any exceptional good or bad result from the upcoming arc.....

I found Shockwave's focus on himself, telling his tale, giving motivations to actions we had already seen compelling, but the overarching story didn't really feel organic or whole because of how poorly it fit into the framing mechanism and how easy everything was for him. I'd agree on the C grade.

I am not thinking this upcoming arc will be to my tastes at all, based on this issue.

This issue was almost a clip show, wasn't it? Almost... there were a few new revelations, but by and large rather than telling an entirely new story it pulls together all the bits and pieces we've learned about Shockwave and ties them together, and adds in some new information about how he was recruited and what his long term plans have been. I'll give Barber this: it's consistent with IDW's characterization of Shockwave going all the way back to his first appearance in his Spotlight issue. He was sowing Energon back then, and I like the way this issue makes his concern over energy something that goes back to his pre-Empurata days. Even as he changed, that goal remained. And giving Shockwave a master plan behind the scenes is a lot more believable since part of the story does go all the way back to his earliest appearance rather than just hitting us out of nowhere. I did find it odd that he was allowed to remain in the Senate after Empurata though.

The thing I enjoyed the most was Shockwave's utter disregard for Megatron. "He will fail, as he always does." It's nice to get inside the character's head.

It's a good issue, don't get me wrong, but it barely qualifies as a new story. It's review and expansion in preparation for upcoming plotlines, as Dom said.

It was worse than a clip show though, it pretended to be a flashback as the character ruminated on everything he had been and done, but didn't have room to actually show more than a few panels for most things, so the motivations weren't even complete, just half ideas sometimes.

I agree on the oddity of staying in the senate after Empurata, but how would they keep him out? He's still Shockwave, nobody's going to admit to doing what they did to him or why.

I had a hard time finding a voice for Shockwave in this book, at first I was reading it with the Prime character because I had just watched the most recent ep of Prime, then I switched to the G1 voice but it didn't fit the page too well, then I went with the FOC voice (mimicking Vic Caroli) which fit best but made the least sense, unless Shockwave was narrating the G1 cartoon all along which is sorta what FOC seems to be hinting at. Thus, when I got to the line about Megatron failing like he always does, it didn't really feel right to the character - it's accurate, but not what I was seeing.

I tell ya what, love or hate, I'm glad they pulled Spotlight Hoist to go with this because had this been my only purchase yesterday, I'd have felt underwhelmed.

How Shockwave got his groove back. Or got it to begin with I guess. There's not much that I can say about this that others haven't already covered except that I do find it interesting that he considers himself to have been liberated by the Empurata, as if the emotions were holding him back somehow.

I'm curious how you, of all people, feel about the way this issue has framed your namesake's personality.

In addition to that, this story also shows that Shockwave hasn't been a yes man to Megatron, instead using Megatron and the resources of the Decepticons for his own ends. And, his plan has, at least from what we've seen so far, worked (the idea being to "seed" other worlds with Energon).

Yeah, very Decepticon of him. That said, if Shockwave can't see that that's at least half the reason Megatron's schemes fail, then he's not the brilliant, logical character he thinks he is.

[Shockwave]

Robots in Disguise #17:

I grabbed the Coller cover without checking the internal artist, and am kind of wishing that I grabbed the Ramondelli cover instead.

That's the cover I got pulled for me, it fits the content very well but Shockwave's head is TINY on it, easily 30% smaller than in the issue using that body.

How Shockwave got his groove back. Or got it to begin with I guess. There's not much that I can say about this that others haven't already covered except that I do find it interesting that he considers himself to have been liberated by the Empurata, as if the emotions were holding him back somehow.

I'm curious how you, of all people, feel about the way this issue has framed your namesake's personality.

In addition to that, this story also shows that Shockwave hasn't been a yes man to Megatron, instead using Megatron and the resources of the Decepticons for his own ends. And, his plan has, at least from what we've seen so far, worked (the idea being to "seed" other worlds with Energon).

Yeah, very Decepticon of him. That said, if Shockwave can't see that that's at least half the reason Megatron's schemes fail, then he's not the brilliant, logical character he thinks he is.

I got the one showing his Empurata. I still have the other one in my saver. I stood there for about ten minutes trying to decide which one to go with so I just figured if it was that big a decision that, fuck it, I should just get both.

I'm actually pretty happy with this story. Sometimes I wonder about the backstory of some of my favorite characters and I always liked Shockwave because he was the one that was always the most successful at everything he did. Mostly because he just went about everything in the most logical way and that scientific approach has always worked well.

So it was actually kind of nice to see a younger more naïve Shockwave with so much passion before he was put through this horrible trauma that left him as the Shockwave we've come to know.

On a personal level I can also identify with his statement about being liberated by not having emotions. Several years ago when my last girlfriend broke up with me, I basically had to disconnect from my emotions to get over it. In fact, I often had times where I would think to myself "What would Shockwave do?" and I often found the answer to lead me in the right direction. I had to re evaluate what was important to me and who was important to me in life and when I realized how short a list that was, it was pretty liberating in dealing with the other people in my life who were not on the "I care" list. And let me say that it's true, when you REALLY honestly truly don't give a shit about someone you can literally say anything to them and be truly honest in ways that most people aren't. Now, I do need to clarify a difference between not caring about someone vs. hating them. To say that I don't care about someone just means that they have no real impact on my life. And also for the record, most of the members here would fall into the "I care" category (my first reaction upon hearing about the Boston bombing was relief that I already knew that Dom was ok). Anyway, TL:DR version, the comment about being liberated when you truly don't care really stuck a personal chord with me and I really enjoyed seeing the character go through a similar emotional change to what I went through even if the circumstances and results are different.

I also think the comment about Megatron was to illustrate that he's essentially done with Megatron and that Megs has basically outlived his usefulness to Shockwave. It's one more way that Shockwave is liberated to persue his own goals. With no Autobots or Decepticons or even really a Cybertronian government to answer to and no war to participate in he is now free to see the final fruition of his original goals without anyone watching over him. I'm intrigued to see where they go with this and what Shockwave's ultimate endgame is.

[andersonh1]

RID #18

It's the "Arcee rehabilitation issue", essentially. Only I don't like this version of the character enough to really care. I'll admit that getting inside her head does produce some answers and a little pathos as she can't really cope with how confusing and complicated the world is. But after all she's done, it's a little too late to try and make her sympathetic.

And Bumblebee

Spoiler

becomes Goldbug, in all but name anyway

. I didn't see that one coming. Very little of Starscream exercising his new authority is shown, apart from a little more detail about how he exiled the Autobots and Decepticons that wouldn't renounce factions. I'm not sure why he thinks it's a good idea to have two groups that hate him out in the wilderness. Those fickle NAILs that put him into power will remove him just as quickly, and then he'll have no friends and no support. But I guess he's more of an opportunist than a planner.

After last issue's sidestep, it's good to get back to the main plot.

[JediTricks]

WTF? This issue is out already? My stores in the area haven't even gotten MTMTE #17 yet, much less RID #18!

[Dominic]

Certain areas sometimes get issues late/early. It can cut both ways. I would not worry for another week or two. (Blame Diamond Comics Distribution.)

In any case...

Robots in Disguise #18:

Holy crap, Arcee is an asshole. I mean, seriously, she is a fucking asshole.

Of course, Arcee being an arse sets up for something that I have been predicting for a while. Prowl (the character) is not out of trouble yet. Right after it looks like he is going to get a pass for the things he pulled (and some were worried that it was going to be editorial as well as in context) Arcee opens her big damned mouth....just because.

Spoiler

She reveals that Prowl had Ratbat offed before getting shelled by the Decepticons.

And,

Spoiler

the Constructicons show up saying nice things about Prowl and talking about how much they like how he thinks. And, despite her distaste for the Constructicons, Arcee has to admit to herself that she also likes how Prowl thinks on his own.

So, lessee,
-fall out from Prowl's earlier actions? Yup.
-Prowl is still a not so nice good guy? Yup.
-blurred faction lines? Yup.

So, why is our Prowl (the member) going to complain about this issue?


On an unrelated note, if Starscream was not clearly shown killing Metalhawk last issue (unknown to the other characters) I would actually say his "cast aside your factions" speech was pretty convincing. He is verbally willing to give everybody a chance if they are willing to walk away from history. If they do not take that ride, they can leave. No fuss. No muss. (That is not a bad deal, all things considered.)



Dom
-notes that Arcee sounded like a Willis character.....which sort of fits the asshole motif.

[BWprowl]

So, why is our Prowl (the member) going to complain about this issue?

I ain't even reading it, I dropped this series (didn't read last issue either). I don't care if Barber looks to be setting up for plot elements that might be interesting, that's what it looked like he was doing with Prowl before, and he just ended up kicking me in the balls with it. It'd be idiotic of me to stick around and let myself get kicked in the balls again.

At this rate, I'm almost figuring they're only bringing up Prowl's previous transgressions so they can work towards over-writing/erasing them and 'redeeming' him and getting his character back to a more palatable 'Infiltration' spec. It reminds me of what they did with Hal Jordan post-'Rebirth', paying lip-service to the crimes he commited before and acting like they were a major part of his so-called character development, but ultimately keeping them in the background and developing him as if they'd never happened at all.

[Dominic]

Yes, Barber through a curve-ball. He managed to fool use.

You are the one who insists on treating it like a cheap back-write, despite the fact that Barber clearly had it planned out.

By your logic, Waid's "Return of Barry Allen" is the worst Flash comic of all time because Waid through the readers a curveball that most of us bought into, despite Waid planting even more blatant clues about what he was really doing. But, I was legitimately floored and impressed by Waid's big reveal at the end of that story....and I did not complain because he managed to trick me.

Barber is still doing new things with this book, which is exactly what you are saying you want. Read the damned thing.


Dom
-notes that Prowl getting redeemed is not a guarantee.

[BWprowl]

Yes, Barber through a curve-ball. He managed to fool use.

You are the one who insists on treating it like a cheap back-write, despite the fact that Barber clearly had it planned out.

By your logic, Waid's "Return of Barry Allen" is the worst Flash comic of all time because Waid through the readers a curveball that most of us bought into, despite Waid planting even more blatant clues about what he was really doing. But, I was legitimately floored and impressed by Waid's big reveal at the end of that story....and I did not complain because he managed to trick me.

Dude, you have been *legitimately misreading* my grievances until now. I'm not mad because there was a plot twist, I love plot twists. I loved all the plot twists in RID up until the last one, because the plot that that one twisted to *sucked*. That's the rule with plot twists: Always twist to a plot more interesting than the one you twisted from. Going from "Prowl as a representation of factional loyalty and reliance on conflict that lost sight of his ideals in a pursuit of maintaining order and personal success" to "Derp he was just mind-controlled, surprise, Megatron had a stupid evil plan he monologued about for half an issue!" was *STUPID* and completely defeated the purpose of all the ideas Barber had led up with until that point.

Barber is still doing new things with this book, which is exactly what you are saying you want. Read the damned thing.

What's 'new'? Prowl's been a pragmatic, morally ambiguous Autobot since at least AHM. Barber looked like he was actually doing something 'new' by taking him all the way past that, but then pussied out at the last minute and set him back to that AHM-spec. That's not new, that's a status quo, and one that was maintained in a hokey, cliche way besides.

[JediTricks]

Spoilers...


RID 18 - there was an oddity about this issue, the character model art was way off from previous issues yet not so wildly different that it was a standout different art style, that threw me a lot. Then the dialogue felt extremely wrong, very modern and now for Earth but just totally wrong for Cybertronians - something about the rhythms and phrases used got under my skin fast and stayed there. Yet the actual story was compelling enough, and I found the Constructicons following Prowl an interesting idea that didn't over-occupy the story, Arcee carving her own faction logo was a fun touch to give her a bit of unique character (although let's not get carried away lest she become the series' Wolverine - sorry Drift, I know that used to be your job but you turned all hippie and got exiled), the Dinobots were bearable, and Starscream really gave it what-for in his few scenes. Then there was the ending, and I'd really hate for this Dark Cybertron to undermine all of this sort of thing with Shockwave stepping out of the spacial rift and the thread of Jhiaxus close behind (although I suspect no Jhiaxus, and Shockwave has taken some of that for himself which is what Arcee senses). So, not too shabby really.

RID #18

It's the "Arcee rehabilitation issue", essentially. Only I don't like this version of the character enough to really care. I'll admit that getting inside her head does produce some answers and a little pathos as she can't really cope with how confusing and complicated the world is. But after all she's done, it's a little too late to try and make her sympathetic.

And Bumblebee

Spoiler

becomes Goldbug, in all but name anyway

. I didn't see that one coming. Very little of Starscream exercising his new authority is shown, apart from a little more detail about how he exiled the Autobots and Decepticons that wouldn't renounce factions. I'm not sure why he thinks it's a good idea to have two groups that hate him out in the wilderness. Those fickle NAILs that put him into power will remove him just as quickly, and then he'll have no friends and no support. But I guess he's more of an opportunist than a planner.

After last issue's sidestep, it's good to get back to the main plot.

I didn't mind her calming down a little and rejoining, I didn't find her unsympathetic nor did I find her sympathetic, she "is" and she's now trying to regain her sense of place. Nobody in that group had clean hands, even Bumblebee did things for the good of the government that he didn't like.

That thing with Goldbug was pretty odd, same body but new head.

Starscream doesn't think ahead that well, but I can't imagine those factions teaming up to get him when the reason they're being exiled is their inability to join together.

Totally agree with you on getting back to the main plot.

Certain areas sometimes get issues late/early. It can cut both ways. I would not worry for another week or two. (Blame Diamond Comics Distribution.)

I am blaming Diamond, it's been 2 weeks now, stores in my area haven't gotten them but Prowl's has.

In any case...

Robots in Disguise #18:

Holy crap, Arcee is an asshole. I mean, seriously, she is a fucking asshole.

Of course, Arcee being an arse sets up for something that I have been predicting for a while. Prowl (the character) is not out of trouble yet. Right after it looks like he is going to get a pass for the things he pulled (and some were worried that it was going to be editorial as well as in context) Arcee opens her big damned mouth....just because.

Spoiler

She reveals that Prowl had Ratbat offed before getting shelled by the Decepticons.

And,

Spoiler

the Constructicons show up saying nice things about Prowl and talking about how much they like how he thinks. And, despite her distaste for the Constructicons, Arcee has to admit to herself that she also likes how Prowl thinks on his own.

So, lessee,
-fall out from Prowl's earlier actions? Yup.
-Prowl is still a not so nice good guy? Yup.
-blurred faction lines? Yup.

So, why is our Prowl (the member) going to complain about this issue?


On an unrelated note, if Starscream was not clearly shown killing Metalhawk last issue (unknown to the other characters) I would actually say his "cast aside your factions" speech was pretty convincing. He is verbally willing to give everybody a chance if they are willing to walk away from history. If they do not take that ride, they can leave. No fuss. No muss. (That is not a bad deal, all things considered.)

I didn't find Arcee to be an asshole here, Arcee is actually much more centered and reasonable in this issue compared to anything prior in this series, which to me felt off-note, "sorta reasonable" is not really her forte. Anyway, she's emotionally damaged after spending so much time getting mindfucked by the situation with Jhiaxus, and the niceties of society are not her chief focus, it's not that she was trying to fuck Prowl over, it's that it was relevant in her mind and seemed like something he would have told already. Prowl shouldn't get a pass, he did a very naughty thing, his actions undermined Bumblebee's regime in the eyes of the public.

Your point about Screamer's speech being convincing minus the Metalhawk thing is interesting, I'd love for them to have the balls to simply keep going down that route, make him someone who actually does good and believes the things he says, and accepts that killing Metalhawk was a necessary evil to do good by the people, make him if not sympathetic then at least effective, explore the pitfalls of sacrificing one's morals for one's beliefs and having it pay off for a foreseeable future, that's be quite challenging.

I ain't even reading it, I dropped this series (didn't read last issue either). I don't care if Barber looks to be setting up for plot elements that might be interesting, that's what it looked like he was doing with Prowl before, and he just ended up kicking me in the balls with it. It'd be idiotic of me to stick around and let myself get kicked in the balls again.

At this rate, I'm almost figuring they're only bringing up Prowl's previous transgressions so they can work towards over-writing/erasing them and 'redeeming' him and getting his character back to a more palatable 'Infiltration' spec. It reminds me of what they did with Hal Jordan post-'Rebirth', paying lip-service to the crimes he commited before and acting like they were a major part of his so-called character development, but ultimately keeping them in the background and developing him as if they'd never happened at all.

I definitely see what you mean there, and were I more attached to Prowl I'd probably feel similarly. But here he's actually not out of the frying pan yet, although it does feel like they're going to go down that route soon. Then again, the Autobots put up with a lot of bad calls and compromises to fight their enemy, that originally led to Nova Prime.

Barber is still doing new things with this book, which is exactly what you are saying you want. Read the damned thing.

... says the guy who gave up on MTMTE.

Dude, you have been *legitimately misreading* my grievances until now. I'm not mad because there was a plot twist, I love plot twists. I loved all the plot twists in RID up until the last one, because the plot that that one twisted to *sucked*. That's the rule with plot twists: Always twist to a plot more interesting than the one you twisted from. Going from "Prowl as a representation of factional loyalty and reliance on conflict that lost sight of his ideals in a pursuit of maintaining order and personal success" to "Derp he was just mind-controlled, surprise, Megatron had a stupid evil plan he monologued about for half an issue!" was *STUPID* and completely defeated the purpose of all the ideas Barber had led up with until that point.

Prowl tried to ride it out like that in issue 18 here, but Arcee piped up and voiced publicly to the Autobots that Prowl wasn't under mind control when he ordered Ratbat assassinated, and now people are not so happy with Prowl right now. I doubt it'll stick, but I could be wrong.

As for personal success, I started with RID so forgive anything that was said prior to that on my part, but everything here seemed like his twisting of his morals was for the perceived greater good, not for personal glory.

(damnit, I can't type "glory" without hearing the voice of TFA Lugnut.)

[andersonh1]

RID #19

Maybe I'm just going through one of those lulls that happens every so often, but I haven't been all that interested in any of the current storylines in any of the Transformers books recently. It's happened before, and six months from now I'll be back into them again I'm sure. I think the storylines have begun to just drag on, and I'm eager for something to happen in an issue other than marking time until the big event. I will admit, I've missed having Optimus Prime as a regular cast member, so it's always good to revisit his storyline, and Waspinator is an interesting choice of characters to include in the plot. How in the world can he pilot a Titan though? I guess all will be revealed in time. Waspinator being pursued by the components of Monstructor is not an image I ever thought I'd see.

So does this issue invalidate Furman's distant horizons ending to Revelation? Gorlam Prime appears to be dying entirely at the end of this issue, so it's not going to be renamed Cybertron in the future, since it doesn't have one. Maybe the time travel shenanigans earlier in the series changed its future somehow. If Wheeljack were still around to "play with science" instead of being butchered to show us how evil Bombshell/Prowl is, we might find out eventually. I miss having him as a cast member.

So, this issue should have been far more engaging than it was. I liked it, but I'm not being gripped by the plot. Here's hoping that changes soon.