TF Views

#14

Finally, the plot has begun to move again!

I get the feeling that some of the revelations in this issue were held back until what happened in RID happened, which may explain some of the lighter, "filler" issues we've had in the last few months. Specific revelations include: who put Overlord on the Lost Light and why, and why he's back in working condition. Prowl's view that the war wasn't over, and that Megatron was always coming back are explictly spelled out, as is Chromedome's reason for being on the Lost Light.

I just have to say that it's refreshing to continually read Transformers comics that don't rely on the tried and true "Optimus vs. Megatron" formula. Here we have, essentially, Chromedome vs. Overlord. What an interesting pairing of characters. And it gives the book some much needed direction, since Overlord's motivation is so clear and direct, unlike the rest of the characters, whose quest to find the Knights of Cybertron seems barely important.

As with some of the other MTMTE issues, the story alternates between the present and the distant past, but in doing so also explains just why Overlord and others like him are so powerful, something Prowl has been wondering as well. The answer is some extremely rare substance found only on Cybertron (which only certain Cybertronians can even survive exposure to) makes them nigh-invulnerable (to quote the Tick). It's a gimmick, and I'm still trying to decide whether I like it or not as opposed to certain Transformers just being more powerful than all the rest, simply because it opens up a can of worms. As Prowl himself notes, if the process to create phase sixers is artificial rather than natural, why isn't every Transformer alive a phase-sixer. Someone somewhere is going to figure out a was to replicate the properties of the invulnerability-conferring substance, and then things will get really messy.

And lest I forget, now we know why Prowl's memories were damaged, allowing Bombshell to more easily control him. Thanks, Chromedome.

Anyway, good issue. Consequential things actually happen.

As Prowl himself notes, if the process to create phase sixers is artificial rather than natural, why isn't every Transformer alive a phase-sixer.

Couldn't the same be said of, say, the Pretender technology? We even have Autobot Pretenders who aren't all messed up.

Onslaught Six wrote:

As Prowl himself notes, if the process to create phase sixers is artificial rather than natural, why isn't every Transformer alive a phase-sixer.

Couldn't the same be said of, say, the Pretender technology? We even have Autobot Pretenders who aren't all messed up.

That's why I have mixed feelings about it. It's not as though we haven't seen Transformers make themselves stronger before. It's just that the combiners or the Pretenders are a technological process that was developed and refined (somewhat) while Overlord's invulnerability depends on a rare "magical" substance that he just happens to be compatible with. I'm nitpicking here, I know, it just comes across as a little convenient, plot-wise.

I don't know. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, just something that made me stop and think about whether I bought it or not.

I'm behind, so I haven't read it yet, but couldn't it be compared to, say, Nucleon?

Onslaught Six wrote:I'm behind, so I haven't read it yet, but couldn't it be compared to, say, Nucleon?

That's probably a fair comparison. When you get a chance to read the issue, let me know what you think.

I think that the Decepticon Pretenders were not so much "messed up" as they were intentionally horrifying.

I have not even seen the issue, but would guess that the "phase 6 upgrade" resource/tech is expensive to cultivate or apply. Lots of people know how to do things that they do not have the practical resources to actually do.


Dom
-will at least flip through this issue given a chance...

Eh, it's such a minor quibble I shouldn't have mentioned it. Overall, it's a very strong issue.

Dominic wrote:-will at least flip through this issue given a chance...

Reneging on a deal already? ;D

Preview for tomorrow's issue at Newsarama: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia ... 39&page=20

It's disturbing, to say the least, to see Pipes stomped to death by Overlord. I hope there's going to be some point to this storyline other than seeing half the crew of the Lost Light slaughtered in awful ways. We've already know that Overlord is sadistic and insanely powerful, and we've already had "good people dying in pointless and violent ways" as a story theme with Last Stand of the Wreckers. I'd like it if this issue wasn't a retread of that storyline.

I'm with Swerve, me no understand 4th wall either.