March comics solicitations - two spotlights, Focus On: Decepticons + Space Pirates

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:07 pm

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/ ... wmarch.htm

IDW are also reprinting Space Pirates from Marvel UK, and starting a Star Trek: New Frontier miniseries by Peter David - yay! Doctor Who stuff, too.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:52 pm

Oooh. Seems like my Dyno hunch was on the right lines.

And YAY for Mirage. One of the characters I hoped to turn up soon. Seems a decent premise for a story. Standaloney, as I've come to expect from a non-Furman issue, but to a newer degree.

Strayton? Film novelisation guy?

[EDIT]

Intrigued/wary on the Focus thing.

And very intrigued by the shadow on Grimlock's cover... considering I expected the issue to be Skywatchy. Maybe it will be Machinationy as well (meaning we've just got our final confirmation on what we're all 99% sure of already)... or are we about to be well and truly swerved?

Ooh, exciting.

NEED NOW.

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:58 pm

I think he's screenwriting the Dragonlance animated movie and has done other RPG stuff...

http://www.dragonlance-movie.com/movie/ ... rayton.asp

Sounds fun enough, anyway.

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:39 pm

I'm quite interested to know when the Grimlock Spotlight is set. There are clues that it might not take place in the present... we might find out how [redacted] ended up as a severed head...

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:43 pm

Originally posted by Terome
I'm quite interested to know when the Grimlock Spotlight is set. There are clues that it might not take place in the present... we might find out how [redacted] ended up as a severed head...

From what I understand, it plays off the events of Devastation #6... which would put it, well... after Devastation.

I'd say Grimlock was almost certainly buried when [redacted] got decapitated. Being as the Nebulos-centered events of Spotlight Magnus happen about 20-odd [years] before Escalation.

Okay, we don't know what planet those [years] belong to, but I doubt it's one where the maths put it prior to Spotlight Shockwave.

Aardvark · Post by **Aardvark** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:19 pm

If you haven't clicked on the link, my post references bits from it so expect spoilers. What are you doing in this thread anyway, if that's the case? @___@

Now I may be a bit thick here, but I have absolutely no idea what that focus thing's all about.

That Grimlock cover is one of the best covers so far. Reminds me of something, but I have no idea what. Looking forward to Grimmers quite a bit, despite him being one of the most well known and overexposed characters.

Mirage... not so much. Cool to see a different writer, and I suppose Mirage is a little more obscure compared to the majority of the Spotlight characters. A lot of the "Season 1" Autobot cars do very little for me, and aesthetically, I've never liked him -- though, I'm digging the head design on the cover. Nevertheless, I do admit that his "core personality" has the potential to be pretty interesting. 'Sides, I've been disappointed with every character choice so far, despite liking or loving virtually all of the Spotlight issues.

Alternate timeline stuff doesn't make me feel enthusiastic in the slightest -- though, I'll obviously reserve judgment till I read the damn thing. Bit obvious, but I'd rather that it's all in his head due to the "temporal accident", than an actual alternate dimension thingamajig. With all that said, it definitely has the potential to be a wonderful character piece. Nice cover too!

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:21 pm

Originally posted by Halfshell
From what I understand, it plays off the events of Devastation #6... which would put it, well... after Devastation.

Could be flashback and current stuff.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:26 pm

WITCHCRAFT!

Seriously, though, do we genuinely expect a [redacted] flashback in a Grimlock Spotlight?

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:46 pm

I think it's credible that Grimlock could be the reason [redacted] is just a head at the moment...

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:32 pm

I don't.

Unless page 21 of Escalation #5 happens a considerable amount of time before page 1; or Grimlock escaped the Eureka site prior to Goring discovering the others.

And you realise you missed two prior mentions of t'other character in this thread?

[EDITAGE]
Yep, from the Grimlock Script Wrap:

Skywatch [...] attempt to bolster their ‘pet’ anti-robot robot strike team with a Dynobot (or so). Things, naturally, don’t go to plan (for reasons which will surprise you, I think), and this in turn sets in motion a blazing confrontation with another of the previously-introduced cast (and no, I’m not saying who), who gets some decent page time in Devastation #6. [...] Spotlight Grimlock is also a key part of what’s coming next. Its crunching head-to-head opens the door for one of 08’s (several) big ‘events.’

My reading of that is that the battle contained within comes after Skywatch try to introduce Grimlock in Devastation.

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:47 pm

Probably. It's barely a spoiler by this stage (unless we get a welcome curve-ball, but I doubt it from what Furman's said) and I'm kinda skimming right now.

I think it's feasible Grimlock might've been active earlier but forced to abandon the others (or was reactivated by horned-head-guy.)

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:40 am

Originally posted by Aardvark

Now I may be a bit thick here, but I have absolutely no idea what that focus thing's all about.

Join the club. Do I taka it the Movie Sequel Preview stuff is just a bonus rather than meant to imply a big crossover thingey?

I really hope the Alternate Timeline in the Mirage issue isn't just used as an excuse to kill loadfs of chaeacters (though at least we'll be spared the traditional leather catsuits and eye patches).

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:52 am

I have a hunch that the 'alternate reality' in the Mirage Spotlight may turn out to be some kind of loyalty test. Zipping around parallel universes seems to be too flamboyant for the ever-so-slightly more grounded approach that the IDW comics have had so far.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:56 am

Mind, we've already got at least one alternate Dimension in the Dark universe...

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:04 am

Originally posted by Aardvark
Now I may be a bit thick here, but I have absolutely no idea what that focus thing's all about.

"preview art, behind-the-scenes interviews, design sketches, information on the Decepticons of the upcoming Movie Sequel series and more"

Probably a similar thing that Marvel released last month for their Ultimate line. Or something like their Sagas.

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:10 am

Mind, we've already got at least one alternate Dimension in the Dark universe...

Oh yeah, I forgot about that particular plot point. Is it just me, or does the Dead Universe become progressively less interesting with each mention of it? It was awesome in the Nightbeat Spotlight, intriguing in the Galvatron Spotlight, kind of eclipsed by Cybertron's glorious past in the Optimus Prime Spotlight and basically cheesy in Devastation #3.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:22 am

I've liked the fact that the Spotlights have had their own little sub plot that didn't really touch upon the main book (though with the crossover to the Main comic now in full swing I guess Arcee will be the last Spotlight to deal directly with it).