Megatron: Origin #1-4/TPB

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Sir Auros
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Post by Sir Auros »

I thought it was an absolute mess. Couldn't understand the drawings most of the time and we go from reluctant killer to bloodthirsty lunatic instantly. They managed the story in the worst possible way unless the next issue is a flashback that explains what happened between issues 1 and 2.
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Sir Auros
They managed the story in the worst possible way unless the next issue is a flashback that explains what happened between issues 1 and 2.


Yeah, I was expecting the issue to be a whole cat and mouse game with the Autobots chasing the convicts through the sewers and whatnot. Instead, it doesn't even make it clear if they recognise Megs as the escaped fugitive...
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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optimusskids
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Post by optimusskids »

still too dark and cluttered while easter eggs are nice in small quantities too many can make you sick and rot your teeth plus it confuses the story line .

Definitley feels like theres an issue 1.5 missing
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

While I was disappointed with #1, I found #2 to be a very entertaining read. Megatron's change from a reluctant killer to a bloodthirsty maniac is sadly left undocumented.

I thoroughly enjoyed the badass look he had as he took off his helmet at the end of the first fight (very, very cool design) and I did like the group fight he had along with Clench and Rumble\Frenzy. "Betabear's" demise was so poorly executed (can hardly tell what's happening] and for a while, so was Clench's. I mean, a guy just speared him and then Megatron pushes him aside\cuts him down on his own?

Nice cameos everywhere, including Ratbat (love the badass look but can never get for the life of it why he of all the casseticons gets the radical and humanoid redesigns).

While he has around two pages worth of appearances, I can't help but like Sentinel Prime. He's got that overconfident badass character written all over him. Totally dig the mouthplate\antennaes too.

Lastly, to add to the confusion...did anybody understand WHAT Megatron did to Bumblejumper? I can obviously read the "RIIIIIP" but can't tell what's going on.

To sum things up, as with the movie adaption, Alex Milne can draw badass robots, but can't for the life of it design panels to make the readers understand what's going on.
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MegatronIDW
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Post by MegatronIDW »

I think he ripped out his spark by the looks of it. there seems to be a hole in his chest when megs is finished.

I agree that Megs character devlopment is rushed, but if you think about it you can begin to see it.

He starts off as a bot whose been treated like dirt by the ruling class of Cybertron, classed as "Degenerate Scum" by a senate that's MEANT to take care of it's people. He then watches a fellow worker beaten to death for nothing more than speaking his mind and lashes out in anger, resulting in the the death of a guard.

At this point he literally has nothing to lose, which is why he helps out with the prison break. He already has a natural talent for violence as seen with how he handles the guard, so withu no other way to make a living he enters the underground fight circuit to earn energon/whatever currency Cybertron uses. He's again reluctant to kill, but he's forced to by the pressure of the watching crowd. However, it's clear that he resents Clench, as seen by the way he looks at him later on, possibly because he's the one who forced him to become a killer.

But now that he's already killed twice, it's become a lot easier for him. And so, to continue earning a living, and perhaps because for the first time in his life he's actually ADMIRED by a large group of cybertronians, he continues to fight, until the moment that he sees the oppurtunity to at last get revenge on Clench. Killing him, he takes charge and presumably does so succesffuly given that the others view him with so much respect.

Establishing himself as the "Top Dog" of the fighting circuit, he's now become so used to the violence that it doesn't bother him. Indeed, he now sees it as the way to solve his problems, as he's becomke used to an enviroment where it's the ONLY way. He already hates the Autobot security force because of their fascistic treatment of his fellow miner before the revolt, so he has no problem killing the two Autobot's who spy on him.

At least that's my take on it. Of course, by the looks of issue three's cover, it's going to involve some kind of "Vision" or other mind related action involving Megs, so we may leanr more about his character there. I could be completely wrong, but that's my take on the character based on what we've seen.

I'd tell you what I think of Sentinel Prime and the rest of the Autobot senate and security force, but I don't think that kind of language would be allowed on this board.
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

I'm quite enjoying the series, more for the ideas than any specific point of the execution.

Haven't been around for ages; has the art style gone down well on other forums with people who were fans of the Dreamwave house style? I'd be curious to know if there was any correlation.

Also, I think Josh Perez has gone a bit overboard with the highlights, which doesn't help the clarity.
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zigzagger
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Megatron: Origin #3 discussion/reaction thread

Post by zigzagger »

Your all purpose Megatron:Origin #3 reaction thread. Place your praise and revilement here.

Supposedly due the 6th according to diamondcomics shipping schedule.
http://www.diamondcomics.com/shipping/e ... 090607.txt
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

More than anything, I'm curious about where this series is going to leave off in the development of the Decepticons...
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slycherrychunks
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Post by slycherrychunks »

It was okay. The seekers just kind of show up from nowhere. Orion Pax gets a cameo (shown coupled with Elita-One rather than Ariel). Great scene showing Megs canibalising other Transformers to replace his own components - looks like he gets his energy mace from someone else. Swindle is in it.

Didnt quite get the ending - Was Starscream betraying Megatron or was this part of some sort of plan?

I only flicked through the other issues. Can Sentinel Prime change colour or something? Its really hard to follow.
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zigzagger
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Due to certain delays....

Post by zigzagger »

This may sate you until tomorrow, or whenever your local book store receives it.

Thanks to "markerguru" (aka Alex Milne) and the IDW Forums for the heads up! No text, oddly enough.
http://markerguru.deviantart.com/gallery/
Mirrored for you're delayed pleasures
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Ballplayer
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Post by Ballplayer »

Haven't read #3 yet, but still get the feeling the origin of the decepticons and Megatron is being rushed too much.
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Dead End :"If we give away our energon cubes we're doomed.

Break Down :"If we don't we're doomed too.

Dead End :"Face it We're Doomed
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Commander Shockwav
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Post by Commander Shockwav »

Weak stuff, through and through.

It's disappointing that a story with such potential, with such promise, is being handled so poorly, both story and artwise.

And what a crucial story it is too, the anchor tale cementing IDW history.

Artiwise its more of the same, with many indecipherable panels that leave me scratching my head (by the end of this series, I will be bald). Granted, the characters are a little clearer, but even still, the art certainly has contributed in crimping this story.

Storywise, this issue was the weakest thus far. With four issues total, each issue has to get something done. This one seems to languish and drags on without much happening by stories end.

Even the dialogue was weak. For example, in one panel we have Sentinel Prime stating Bumper's death is "a great loss, but this is no tragedy." Two panels later, what is he saying? "To me, this tragedy offers an immediate, startling purpose". And this idiot is the leader of the Autobots?

Sigh. It's not all bad. We get to see Megs and Starscreams first encounter in the IDWverse. Grimlock's in there along with Sunstreaker, somewhat drawn to the Decepticon idealogy, which is in character and nice to see. But all in all, the redeemable qualities of this issue are few and far between.

A give this issue a "C-", and I'm probably being somewhat generous. Doubtful the fourth issue can save the series for me, but here's to hoping.
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Post by Denyer »

Hrmm, enjoyed this one the most so far -- the only downside being that it could have been issue two rather than three as there was a slow warm-up. Not having trouble following the art, although the mass of detailing veers towards DW house style at times.

The titles at the moment are slotting together and rounding out backstory, without actually being exciting IMO -- for instance, the last two spotlights being used to fill in story between Earth arcs rather than focusing on being spotlight stories centred around the named characters.
Originally posted by slycherrychunks
Didnt quite get the ending - Was Starscream betraying Megatron or was this part of some sort of plan?
It'd be nice if it were the latter, and not just walking characters through the traits suggested by old profiles.
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Terome
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Post by Terome »

Some nice moments in this one, but it really isn't a good comic. The art starts off real nice but kind of devolves as the pages go by and if I didn't really like Transformers, the good bits of the script would be far outweighed by the generally unimaginative story.

EDIT: I am really, really hoping that they don't turn Ratbat into a tape in the next issue. Really.
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

It looked to me (in the colouring) that Skywarp was performing the Sonic Boom & that Thundercracker was the one teleporting.

That and some of the art for the background characters was appalling.
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Post by slycherrychunks »

yeah, I noticed that on their introductory panel, the seekers all had slight differences in their design - most notably the different shoulder bits. Yet, in later scenes theyre all back to looking the same.
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Post by zigzagger »

Well, now - I haven't seen this many gratuitous cameos and easter eggs in a single issue since Dreamwave G1 Volume 2. I mean, as much as I enjoyed how the funeral scene was depicted/illustrated, does Elita-1 really need to be canonized again? ;) Then again, it's always a treat to see Swindle being his usual (sort of) sleaze-ball self. While on the subject of character exposure, I personally was expecting a bit more Ratbat exposition in this issue, or at least a bit more details of Megatron's arrangement with him, it being one of the previous issue's (potentially) redeeming qualities, in my opinion.

I'd gripe about the lack of development towards Starscream and Megatron's relationship, and how Megatron comes to trust him so damn quickly...but it's not as if Origin in its (thus far) entirety has paid much attention to such immaterial details. Well, I sure would have liked that :( , even if it were to be briefly conveyed in those teeny little narrative boxes at the beginning of each new scene (hell, a standard "X months later" would have worked!). But I did like the little scraps that we did get, considering that we have not seen IDW's take on the infamous Megs/Screamer dynamic. Starscream is nice and smug, as we've come to expect, and it works well here - that is, when we actually do get to see it!
Ah, sod it all. It's due time that I just except the fact that, in actuality, Megatron: Origin is not an "origin" of its supposed leading star, Megatron :( . It's a kind-of-sort-of Decepticon origin. Duh! There, I said it.....and yet, strangely, I don't feel any better about it.

Continuing in its usual spiraling trend, the third installment still feels rushed, especially its conclusion, the dialogue is just down right silly at moments, and the panels are still crammed and/or indecipherable half the time.
2 out of 5
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Yeah, calling it Secret Origin of the Decepticons might have helped. If not for the staggeringly bad art, poor storytelling (feels like we've skipped a lot of vital stuff again).

Is anyone else worried that 95% of Megs dialouge thus far has been variations on "Huh"? Oh, and could someone check the panels to see if Megatron already had fliers on team before he asked Soundwave for them.

Stupidity this issue:

Orion Pax.

Bumper and theotherone having their names in English on the tombs.

Elita 1.

The oddness 0f the "Secret Location" where the fight is supposed to be held- It has the statue of the Senator in it which means it's the same place we saw only a few pages before that isn't remotely secret and is very open and public. All I can think is that the Seekers were supposed to be stealing the statue as well, but the art doesn't even slightly imply it.

Alpha Trion.

Rub signs.

Elita 1, orion Pax and Alpha Trion all being in the issue.
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Nevermore
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Post by Nevermore »

Count me in the "meh" league. Lackluster, boring and too crammed with pointless easter eggs. Rubsigns sucked back in DW's G1 vol. 2.

Megatron's design has changed. In the past issue he basically looked like his "worker" design from issue 1, only replacing the hazard stripes with tribal deco. This issue he's almost in Infiltration/Stormbringer/Spotlight: Shockwave/Spotlight: Soundwave gear. When did he upgrade?

Did they just attach a random deceased bot's arm to Megatron's shoulder, which just happens to have the exact same body proportions and detailing and all, and just sports the wrong colors?

Speaking of colors: What the &%*#§ is up with pages 12, 13, 16, 17 and 19? Those look like they've been done by a different colorist who never talked to the other one. Not only that, the art looks different too. Megatron has facial expresssions that look like they come straight out of a bad anime. If Milne's art is disappointing, those pages are even worse.

That being said, I had to re-read the last page three or four times before I understood what was going on.

For those who complain about Orion Pax (in a proto-Stormbringer Optimus Prime design), there's a white "Ultra Magnus" repaint (Dion?) right behind him on page 6. I though we had left the "Prime in white" nonsense behind us with the Ultra Magnus Spotlight issue. Geez.
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Sir Auros
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Post by Sir Auros »

The first issue was still the best.
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