TF Views

Galaxies feels like the "Spotlights" of this continuity, introducing prominent characters outside the main storyline so that they can be tied into it later, such as the Insecticons being set up during the Constructicon arc and then appearing in Escape as major antagonists.

I'm also just glad that Ultra Magnus is actually Ultra Magnus in this continuity (as far as we know) and has not been replaced by a James Roberts fan character masquerading as Ultra Magnus.

I liked the idea of a fungible identity more than the execution in that case.

Finally read Galaxies 7-9. I thought the first two storylines with the Constructicons and Cliffjumper were far better than this arc, which focuses on OC Gauge, so it's no one that I'm invested in. She's in the reversionist cult, not by choice but due to brainwashing. There's nothing remarkable about this cult, led by Heretech, a generic "I am the voice of god" fanatic with a tiny little Matrix on his head. I thought the end was particularly absurd, since the Reversionists took the last ship away from Cybertron to escape the growing societal chaos back in issue 12 of the main series, only to turn right around and go back at the end of this arc, rendering Arcee, Greenlight and Gauge's escape utterly meaningless, because they're right back where they started.

Galaxies ends on a high note with issues 10-12. As I posted earlier, I like this version of Ultra Magnus, an idealist and extremely capable fighter who can get shot in the face and shrug it off while threatening his assailant, but he still cares about the lessons his mentor taught him about life and freedom. I really enjoyed this story and this version of Ultra Magnus. I can see why Sentinel Prime saw Magnus as a good candidate for the Matrix.

Interesting to see Soundblaster as a separate character from Soundwave.

The Heretech arc is definitely the weakest. (I am not even sure what the time-frame is. That might account for the oddity of the ship returning to Cybertron.)


As for Soundblaster, I think that he is intended to be a clone of Soundwave. This is drawn from the cartoon, but I suspect that we are meant to assume it also applies to the comic.

Dominic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:32 am The Heretech arc is definitely the weakest. (I am not even sure what the time-frame is. That might account for the oddity of the ship returning to Cybertron.)

I think they're meant to be up there for months (or cycles, or whatever), and I don't think that's made particularly clear.

Dominic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:32 am As for Soundblaster, I think that he is intended to be a clone of Soundwave. This is drawn from the cartoon, but I suspect that we are meant to assume it also applies to the comic.

It seems pretty explicit to me in the comic with the resemblance being mentioned, and him shrugging it off uncomfortably.

Ursus mellifera wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 7:14 am

Dominic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:32 am The Heretech arc is definitely the weakest. (I am not even sure what the time-frame is. That might account for the oddity of the ship returning to Cybertron.)

I think they're meant to be up there for months (or cycles, or whatever), and I don't think that's made particularly clear.

It takes place after issue 18 and the tetherfall, but beyond that it's hard to tell. Events start happening pretty fast after that as Megatron pushes his plan forward in order to stay ahead of events, to the point that I wouldn't even have thought more than a few days had passed at most. I'll have to re-read that and see. There really is no room to slot this story into the existing timeframe without the ship literally leaving Cybertron and then coming right back.

Dominic wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:32 am As for Soundblaster, I think that he is intended to be a clone of Soundwave. This is drawn from the cartoon, but I suspect that we are meant to assume it also applies to the comic.

It seems pretty explicit to me in the comic with the resemblance being mentioned, and him shrugging it off uncomfortably.

Shockwave is in the cloning business with the Insecticons, so maybe Soundblaster is another of his experiments?

andersonh1 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:50 pm

Ursus mellifera wrote: ↑Tue Mar 09, 2021 7:14 am It seems pretty explicit to me in the comic with the resemblance being mentioned, and him shrugging it off uncomfortably.

Shockwave is in the cloning business with the Insecticons, so maybe Soundblaster is another of his experiments?

I'm down for that.