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

[Dominic]

Note how much of Starscream's actions are described through inner monologues, where he has no incentive to lie. He even admits ponders how weird it is to be honest for a change. And, his anger at Ratbat opportunism is very real.

[Dominic]

Issue 5:

Skybite arrives on Cybertron and does some exploring. Even in idiomatic terms, there is little to link this Skybite to earlier iterations of the character. He has the same colouring and an evocative alternate mode. But, this is the not the clown-fish from 10+ years ago, nor is this the character shoe-horned in to the BC10 set. Skybite is presented here as a Decepticon deserter.

The POV character for this issue is Ironhide, who has (ironically) changed more than most of the other characters. There is a call back to "Death of Optimus Prime", which apparently Ironhide had a vision of. While this issue largely follows the track that has kept me interested over the last few months, it ends with a portentious prediction that make me wonder how much longer this party is going to last. (And, as in previous issues, it is strongly implied that the inevitable breakdown will be the fault of the Autobots.)


Grade: B/C


Dom
-grabbed the wrong cover this time around.

[Sparky Prime]

Skybite arrives on Cybertron and does some exploring. Even in idiomatic terms, there is little to link this Skybite to earlier iterations of the character. He has the same colouring and an evocative alternate mode. But, this is the not the clown-fish from 10+ years ago, nor is this the character shoe-horned in to the BC10 set. Skybite is presented here as a Decepticon deserter.

Sky Byte might not be the over-the-top clown he was in the RiD cartoon, but I'd say there is still plenty to link him to earlier iterations of the character. At the end of the RiD cartoon, he had abandoned the war as well. He remained the only Predacon/Decepticon not captured by the Autobots and seemed pretty happy living on his own. As we see in the comic, he similarly arrives on Cybertron alone after he had abandoned the war. And both love poetry.

[BWprowl]

Read it last night, and I'll post thoughts later (work has been biz-ZAY this week), but for now I just wanted to say that I found it funny that both RID and MTMTE feature a character who decides to open and operate a bar.

Nooooooot crazy about Optimus Prime/Orion Pax coming back ALREADY in the next issue.

[Onslaught Six]

Read it last night, and I'll post thoughts later (work has been biz-ZAY this week), but for now I just wanted to say that I found it funny that both RID and MTMTE feature a character who decides to open and operate a bar.

Planning on grabbing these over the weekend.

Nooooooot crazy about Optimus Prime/Orion Pax coming back ALREADY in the next issue.

I get the feeling that he's not sticking around though.

[Mako Crab]

I don't mind if SkyByte's a little less goofy. I imagine if any of the RID cast got imported into. . . IDW's RID, that their crazy antics wouldn't fit the tone of the book. Nice little joke there with the head of Scourge. "Reminds me of someone I used to know." I think, based on the positive reviews I've been hearing from all corners of the TF fandom, and now with the introduction of SkyByte, I'll have to pick up the trade.

[138 Scourge]

Nice little joke there with the head of Scourge. "Reminds me of someone I used to know."

Wait, is this a G1 Scourge head, or a blackened Optimus head? Either way, cute joke.

[Sparky Prime]

Nice little joke there with the head of Scourge. "Reminds me of someone I used to know."

Wait, is this a G1 Scourge head, or a blackened Optimus head? Either way, cute joke.

It's a G1 Scourge head. I liked that joke as well.

[Onslaught Six]

Has anyone specifically confirmed it's Scourge? Kind of a shitty way to off him, if so. (Regardless of precedent, Scourge was a major character in the last few arcs.) I'd rather it be a Sweep, but who knows.

[Sparky Prime]

Has anyone specifically confirmed it's Scourge? Kind of a shitty way to off him, if so. (Regardless of precedent, Scourge was a major character in the last few arcs.) I'd rather it be a Sweep, but who knows.

Well yeah, it probably is just a Sweep head that Sky-byte is holding seeing as how there are other lifeless Scourge bodies in the scene. They haven't exactly confirmed if Scourge himself is dead or not, but you'd think he would have shown up by now if he was still alive...