IDW "Combiner Wars" comic discussion and speculation

[andersonh1]

I've got several chapters of this story and still haven't started reading it. I guess I need to get caught up! And possibly buy the Windblade portions of the story as well so I don't feel lost.

[Dominic]

I never understood the idea of forcing one's self to buy the whole cross-over. Just read the parts you want to, and mentally fill in the blanks with "some stuff happened".

(I have barely read the non-Hickman lead in to "Secret Wars", meaning that there is some stuff that I am fuzzy on. But, I know that the high concept is "no-win scenario". Everything else is just detail and minutia.)

Just skip the Scott-written parts and assume "some stuff happened" when you read the Barber stuff.

[andersonh1]

Buying just the parts I normally read is my usual habit. That's what I did with Godhead over in the Green Lantern titles, just to give a recent example. So forget essential plot points: are the Windblade portions of the story worth reading?

[Dominic]

I have been skipping "Combiner Wars" entirely....unless one counts the reprinted pre-"Dark Cybertron" issues included with the CW toys.

[Sparky Prime]

Buying just the parts I normally read is my usual habit. That's what I did with Godhead over in the Green Lantern titles, just to give a recent example. So forget essential plot points: are the Windblade portions of the story worth reading?

Well the Godhead storyline pretty much kept the story self contained to each character so you didn't need to buy all of the comics in order to follow the story. Combiner Wars on the other hand continues the story in each part across titles, so yeah, I would say that the Windblade portions are worth reading in this case. It's essentially giving them 2 titles a month rather than just 1.

[Shockwave]

Buying just the parts I normally read is my usual habit. That's what I did with Godhead over in the Green Lantern titles, just to give a recent example. So forget essential plot points: are the Windblade portions of the story worth reading?

I'd actually go so far as to say they're necessary. At least if you don't wanna feel like you missed something between issues. I actually have both and accidentally read them out of order and then when I read them in the intended order it made more sense. So Combiner Wars part 1 is in MTMTE #39 (or whatever we're on) and then the story continues in Windblade #1 and then that continues in MTMTE #40 which then continues in Windblade #2... so it's alternating back and forth between titles. Doesn't matter to me cause I'm reading everything anyway, but if you're only getting certain parts it can be a bit frustration/confusing.

[JediTricks]

Buying just the parts I normally read is my usual habit. That's what I did with Godhead over in the Green Lantern titles, just to give a recent example. So forget essential plot points: are the Windblade portions of the story worth reading?

Considerably so, as Starscream's story is generally found in Windblade these days and his motivation is vital there. But the issues flow together pretty much straight, it doesn't feel like a DC event where something might happen in Teen Titans that has no true bearing on the overarching story despite sharing a banner at the top.

I'd actually go so far as to say they're necessary. At least if you don't wanna feel like you missed something between issues. I actually have both and accidentally read them out of order and then when I read them in the intended order it made more sense. So Combiner Wars part 1 is in MTMTE #39 (or whatever we're on) and then the story continues in Windblade #1 and then that continues in MTMTE #40 which then continues in Windblade #2... so it's alternating back and forth between titles. Doesn't matter to me cause I'm reading everything anyway, but if you're only getting certain parts it can be a bit frustration/confusing.

I agree with everything you're saying except the order, because MTMTE doesn't have any Combiner Wars in it except tangential connection; you're confusing MTMTE with TheTF. The official order of the 6-part series is:

The Transformers #39 - aka Combiner Wars Opening Salvo (it says this right on the cover)
Windblade vol 2 #1 - Combiner Wars part 1 (again, on the cover, as these all will be)
The Transformers #40 - Combiner Wars part 2
Windblade #2 - Combiner Wars part 3

and will continue on for 2 more parts:
TheTF #41 - part 4
Windblade #3 - part 5, final

[Onslaught Six]

Isn't there also a final sixth wrap up issue? Feel like it's weird to only do 5 issues, especially when so many of the toys are supposed to come with comics. IMO I think it was stupid to do so, especially when the toys are rising so much in price--only a handful of them are even CW related.

[andersonh1]

Picked up Windblade #2 today, which means I'm still a chapter short. I'll just have to fill in the blanks for the missing chapter.

[JediTricks]

Isn't there also a final sixth wrap up issue? Feel like it's weird to only do 5 issues, especially when so many of the toys are supposed to come with comics. IMO I think it was stupid to do so, especially when the toys are rising so much in price--only a handful of them are even CW related.

It's 6 issues, they're called "Opening Salvo" and then "Part 1 - 5", it is weird that they did it that way. That said, there will be a follow-up series called "Combiner Hunters", so I dunno what's up with that.

Having the figures come with old issues though, that is very weird to me.