Dreamwave G1 - retro reviews

[Dominic]

I agree. The first mini-series had some issues, and Armada started a little slow, but once the writers got into it, the quality of the various series Dreamwave produced was very good. I'm looking forward to re-visiting the War Within and the ongoing.

Saying "once the writers got in to it" implies that the writers are pulling it out of their asses every few weeks. Comics are not, nor should they be, written that way. When a writer sits down to write issue one, they (at least should) have an idea of how issue 6 is going to end.

AT the very least Don Figuerroa's DW TF art designs looked decent & looked like it was possible for the robots to transform into the alt modes that were drawn in the comics issues.

Figueroa is the best artist that "Transformers" has ever had, and one of the most under-appreciated artists in comics.

His designs were all made to work as toys. Figueroa made designs that could be used for toys and still looked good on page.

However, I have to say that if feels a little strange to end the “controlled Transformers for rent” plotline so quickly and abruptly. The preview was all about it, and a lot of page time was given to that storyline in issues one and two, and halfway through issue three, it’s over.

On the other hand, had the "TF for rent" plot continued, can you imagine the fantrums? "Bawwwwwwww, Transformers are not supposed to be controlled mechAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! And, this is clearly going to be the new status quo for the series because it has gone on for more than an issue or two!"

And Grimlock, is it really all that hard to distinguish between the type of humans who would use use Transformers to murder other humans, and the decent types who would never even dream of doing such a thing?

This always made sense to me. People do not see other groups of people as being made of individuals. It would be even easier to see groups of non-humans as not being individuals. Similarly, it would be easy for a non-human to see people as not being varied. This would be even easier if the non-human were a member of a species that was far advanced beyond people.

[andersonh1]

Saying "once the writers got in to it" implies that the writers are pulling it out of their asses every few weeks. Comics are not, nor should they be, written that way. When a writer sits down to write issue one, they (at least should) have an idea of how issue 6 is going to end.

That's not really what I meant, and I didn't say it very well. Actually, it's not so much a case of writers getting into the story as it was Dreamwave finding writers who knew the property better, or understood it better. James McDonough and Adam Patyk wrote G1 better than Chris Sarracini. Similarly, Armada improved when Simon Furman took over from Sarracini.

Figueroa is the best artist that "Transformers" has ever had, and one of the most under-appreciated artists in comics.

Absolutely.

[Dominic]

I do not get the hate for Sarraccini.

His run on "Armada" was fine. And, it contrasted with the darker tone of his G1 series.

Furman's first story on "Armada" was awful. That two parter with the saber jets was worse than some pack-in comics.



Dom
-trivia: What was the only named TF toy character not given an entry in the "More Than Meets The Eye" sourcebook? (Hint: The inclusion of the Power Dashers and Omni-bots makes this character's absence even more obvious.)

[andersonh1]

I do not get the hate for Sarraccini.

I didn't say I hated his writing, just that I preferred Furman. Though, yeah, the Star Saber story wasn't the best, but once he started on the Moonbase storyline things got really good.

[Shockwave]

I do not get the hate for Sarraccini.

His run on "Armada" was fine. And, it contrasted with the darker tone of his G1 series.

Furman's first story on "Armada" was awful. That two parter with the saber jets was worse than some pack-in comics.



Dom
-trivia: What was the only named TF toy character not given an entry in the "More Than Meets The Eye" sourcebook? (Hint: The inclusion of the Power Dashers and Omni-bots makes this character's absence even more obvious.)

I'm going with the minispy but I know I'm wrong.

[Onslaught Six]

Figueroa is the best artist that "Transformers" has ever had, and one of the most under-appreciated artists in comics.

His designs were all made to work as toys. Figueroa made designs that could be used for toys and still looked good on page.

That might have been true in Dreamwave's heyday, but after that stint in IDW after AHM? Fuck no.

[Sparky Prime]

Figueroa is the best artist that "Transformers" has ever had, and one of the most under-appreciated artists in comics.

His designs were all made to work as toys. Figueroa made designs that could be used for toys and still looked good on page.

That might have been true in Dreamwave's heyday, but after that stint in IDW after AHM? Fuck no.

Although I can see how some people wouldn't care for how he made the Transformers look a bit more like the live action Transformers, his artwork for IDW's Ongoing comic was still amazing as it always has been.

[138 Scourge]

I dunno, you guys. Figueroa is really good and all, but I'd still say that Geoff Senior's the best artist TF comics have had. That guy was friggin amazing.

[Onslaught Six]

I dunno, you guys. Figueroa is really good and all, but I'd still say that Geoff Senior's the best artist TF comics have had. That guy was friggin amazing.

Are we really going to have this argument?

(Guido Guidi ftw)

[Shockwave]

Hmm.... best TF artist? I dunno, that's a toughy. I do like Figueroa's DW WW work, but I also love Senior's work too.