Transformers: Autocracy

relak · Post by **relak** » Mon May 28, 2012 2:43 am

All the Decepticons we've seen so far have been self interested power hungry dicks or nutters who joined so they could carry a big gun and blow shit up.

You think ALL soldiers join up with the intention to protect their nation? Some just wanna blow stuff up.

IMO that gives a very decent explanation as to the dissention within the Decepticon's ranks.
Cos each con signed up for a different reason (like Overlord, who literally just wants to kill bots) those reasons might not be in line with Megatron's ideals, hence the dissention.

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:42 pm

So the final part of this hit yesterday. Anyone here read it? Hope so, because IDW were oh so clever with the final battle between Prime and Megatron.

Despite a rather poor finish I enjoyed some of this. Art was suitably gloomy and the middle issues are quite fun. It does effectively rule out Blurs spotlight but thats no great loss. I'm sure what the implication is with Metroplex at the end its as if the idea is that it leads into Ironhide while skipping the incidents of Metroplexs own spotlight. Speaking of the big city fella, where was he when Thunderwing happened? (or was it Thunderwing who caused Metroplex to flee with Alpha Trion?)

For its own good though, IDW should stop going back in time with its transformers universe. Because they inevitably have to use well-known bots it all gets too silly that everyone major never dies and they all in fact knew each other.

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:57 pm

For its own good though, IDW should stop going back in time with its transformers universe. Because they inevitably have to use well-known bots it all gets too silly that everyone major never dies and they all in fact knew each other.

It feels as though Napoleon, Rasputin, George Washington, Curtis LeMay, Robert McNamara, Joseph Goebbels and Astrotrain have all been at Bash St. School since the mid-50s.

Actually, that would be a much better comic.

relak · Post by **relak** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:02 am

Red Dave Prime wrote:So the final part of this hit yesterday. Anyone here read it? Hope so, because IDW were oh so clever with the final battle between Prime and Megatron.

Despite a rather poor finish I enjoyed some of this. Art was suitably gloomy and the middle issues are quite fun. It does effectively rule out Blurs spotlight but thats no great loss. I'm sure what the implication is with Metroplex at the end its as if the idea is that it leads into Ironhide while skipping the incidents of Metroplexs own spotlight. Speaking of the big city fella, where was he when Thunderwing happened? (or was it Thunderwing who caused Metroplex to flee with Alpha Trion?)

For its own good though, IDW should stop going back in time with its transformers universe. Because they inevitably have to use well-known bots it all gets too silly that everyone major never dies and they all in fact knew each other.

Why? Im actually finding the past stuff a lot more interesting than the ongoings.

Than again, im a huge sucker for such "the war that you never knew until now" kinda stories.

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:33 pm

Why? Im actually finding the past stuff a lot more interesting than the ongoings.

Than again, im a huge sucker for such "the war that you never knew until now" kinda stories.

Oh me too, but it needs a bit of care which I think is overall beyond IDW. Take for example the Blur Spotlight. That was set back in the past but Autocracy pretty much rules it out because there of how Orion Pax is potrayed and Optimus Prime is created.

It wouldnt hurt if IDW tried to insert new characters instead of putting in regulars - that way there is some drama to proceedings. Why Hot Rod/ Rodimus needed to be here is beyond me.

Thats not to say that it's all bad but if things are just thrown together without looking at whats been said before it reduces the value of this kind of historical story.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:37 am

So in order to give Comixology a try on my new phone I actually brought the first issue to give the system a go. Not 100% sure what to make of it... The way you move through panels is actually very neat but is a bit counter-intuitive to how I normally read comics, taking in the whole page first. I don't think Livio's art works very well this small either, someone crisp and clear like Guido would have worked better (though obviously this is less of a problem on something as large as an IPad).

Trying to read it on my PC is more of a pain though, I'd rather put it into a CBR file and scroll down the whole page but haven't figured that out yet. Not put off buying digital comics though.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 1:40 pm

Red Dave Prime wrote:Oh me too, but it needs a bit of care which I think is overall beyond IDW. Take for example the Blur Spotlight. That was set back in the past but Autocracy pretty much rules it out because there of how Orion Pax is potrayed and Optimus Prime is created.

It wouldnt hurt if IDW tried to insert new characters instead of putting in regulars - that way there is some drama to proceedings. Why Hot Rod/ Rodimus needed to be here is beyond me.

Thats not to say that it's all bad but if things are just thrown together without looking at whats been said before it reduces the value of this kind of historical story.

I see no reason why a "new" character or two could not be used as a "red shirt", it would be easy to accept that said character had never been mentioned in the future given that, maybe, over 4 million years, Prime forgot the odd face.

The lack of adherence to IDW's own canon is absurd though, and suggests that the editors are either half asleep or don't give a sh*t.

I had quite liked this series until the final issues,

SPOILER! (select to read)
the Metroplex involvement was a bit weird though, I thought. As well as that, the amount of references (exactly the same script) to the 1986 TF:Movie in the final issue caused me to be rather outraged.

As someone who writes a lot, and has a lot of arguments with editors, I expect better writing than (yet another) re-hash of what has come before.

No idea if i need spoiler tags this deep into a thread, but you never know I spose.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:27 pm

Well I've read the whole thing now... It really is a very odd series isn't it? Lots of nice ideas, a suitably fast pace and the potential to be silly cartoon Style fun.
But the deeper and deeper in we go the more and more the big problem rears it's head.

It Starts off smalI and insidious. The odd line here and there almost[/l] quoting the film. ''Astrotrain assume shuttle mode and get us out of here!'' style Stuff. Annoying but easy to ignore.

But it builds and it builds till we get the Prime/Hot Rod/Megatron scene. Which quotes the film more faithfully than IDW's own adaptation does. It's like Dille was Possessed by Brad Mick. Totally pointless and kills what could have been a fun if harmless (not to mention out of continuity. Why they didn't just have it as a cartoon prequel...) book.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:59 pm

inflatable dalek wrote: But it builds and it builds till we get the Prime/Hot Rod/Megatron scene. Which quotes the film more faithfully than IDW's own adaptation does.

Exactly! And oddly enough, I don't really think I should know what words are going to feature in the next speech bubble when reading a comic book for the first time.

Put me on the shelf labelled "outraged."

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:40 pm

So in order to give Comixology a try on my new phone I actually brought the first issue to give the system a go. Not 100% sure what to make of it... The way you move through panels is actually very neat but is a bit counter-intuitive to how I normally read comics, taking in the whole page first. I don't think Livio's art works very well this small either, someone crisp and clear like Guido would have worked better (though obviously this is less of a problem on something as large as an IPad).

Tried the first issue and didnt like it at all but I think this is more down to I had to view it on a ipod (my tablet is android). I've seen it listed on Amazon as a TPB so I'll get the full lot then. I did download all the cbr files and was able to read it all on the tablet in much more comfort. Why IDW just cant sell me CBR files I still dont know. I'd happily buy them.

relak · Post by **relak** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 5:11 am

So I just got the Autocracy TPB.

LOVE the art, but not quite digging Zeta Prime's design. Looks like a cross breed of some digimon and Turn A Gundam.

Was a bit disappointed by the lack of extras though

Jaynz · Post by **Jaynz** » Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:13 pm

relak wrote:You think ALL soldiers join up with the intention to protect their nation? Some just wanna blow stuff up.

Yes, and then they get that shit beat out of them during basic training, since 'violent madmen' tend to be incredibly insane liabilities in actual combat... you know, where soldiers are supposed to do their job.