Lost Light discussion

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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Got a link? Doesn't seem to be at https://www.instagram.com/j.roberts332/
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Auntie Slag
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Post by Auntie Slag »

I saw a message on Twitter where he said that Instagram videos only stay online for a max of two days. So they’re going to arrange to upload the video to Youtube! I guess that’ll be happening over the coming week so they don’t lose steam.
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Unicron
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Post by Unicron »

Wonder if someone will do a transcript
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

https://twitter.com/MissRogue113/status ... 0652621824

The full version is >3GB but as I've just mentioned to someone on Twitter the site downsamples automatically, so get the 360p version with https://addons.opera.com/en-gb/extensio ... ownloader/ or similar and it's only about 350Mb.

Just got to find time to listen now. The only podcast I've managed to keep up with recently is Richard Herring and that's because knob jokes don't need close attention.
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Post by Shrapnel »

I've only just caught up on this.

Have to agree that Issue 24's matrix opening scene was a fantastic (and tear jerking) moment.

I'm really sad to see LL go really. Barber's Optimus Prime series less so. I feel like the Lost Light saga combined is right up there with my favourite TF comic runs of all time, which in turn makes me nervous about what comes next.

Shrap.
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Hot Rod Here »

I need to read the LL. I don't care if the bots act too human. I know it's ending, but I need to read all of it.

OFT
Everytime I look at Optimus, he reminds of shirtless man. I always compare him to Rodimus/Rodimus Prime who looks like he's were a shirt. At least in g1 he has something that looks like a collar and on his aft, he has something the resemble pockets.
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Auntie Slag »

Now that it's all over is there a resource/page somewhere that consolidates Roberts answers to all the open questions?

For example, I was desperate to find out more about Delta Magnus and the Primal Vanguard. And whether Magnus, Tarn, Skids and others all tied in somehow due to the music link. Did Ten, Nightbeat etc really die?
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by johndenis »

I think James Roberts has been fantastic. I have read MTMTE/LL over the course of 5 years or so (with sometimes large gaps inbetween reading several issues in a single trade paperback). So sometimes I forgot plot points and the TF Wiki has been invaluable in pointing out callbacks and references I missed. I have read LL fairly quickly and did try to pay attention and see how much I could spot before reading the TF Wiki for an issue! I have read a lot of stuff (I'm almost 40) but not actually much sci-fi, so if there are really obvious lifts from other sic-fi I would be interested in having them pointed out to me. For me things like point one percenters, load bearers, sparks, cogs, brain modules, the forges TFs, the hot spot harvests, and of course the relationship stuff etc etc all greatly enriched the TF story. I'm not sure if these were all Roberts or partly Barber or even Furman so again it would be nice if someone could tell me who created what. I actually only originally got an issue of MTMTE because I was buying Regen One and noticed MTMTE and was drawn in by Alex Milne's stunning artwork. I think LL suffers a bit from the lack of Milne but not too much. Lastly - what should I read next? I tried RiD but found it very dry and boring. Is AHM worth a read? Any of Forman's IDW stuff? For me Regen One was disappointing - a rehash of some Gen 2 stuff, a bizarre 21 year "real time" gap, the decision to scrap the UK continuity, art from Widman that sometimes looked half-arsed, and so on. Thank you! ps I don't know what is meant by the Chromosome ultra-violet chat above - see, told you I couldn't remember all the plot points... :-)
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Auntie Slag »

I guess you could try the new Transformers comic that's about to start (I believe it kicks off in the middle of March with an all new continuity). I love MTMTE, it feels like a pinnacle in TF storytelling so far and I don't feel too inclined to read further, unless the new series is stupendous of course... so I'm happy reading non-TF stuff. They had their shot, it was pretty brilliant, unfortunately it didn't sell as well as it should despite all the plaudits and the company binned it all and are starting again. Good luck to them!
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Denyer »

Check out the Wreckers material if you haven't already, but I think that's probably going to be it for interesting new ideas in TF comics -- the new stuff seems hackneyed from the solicitations.
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Auntie Slag »

I also used to visit Hackney, for the solicitations.
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Auntie Slag »

Its kinda depressing though; for all the world-building, characterisation and densely interwoven plots it sold to the same five people who also bought RID. No matter how many articles sang MTMTE's praises it seemed to remain at the same number of physical sales for its run. You're producing gold to an audience used to something more lowbrow and it barely raises a pulse. That's got to be a bit infuriating, it annoys me.
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by johndenis »

I assumed LL was cancelled because the flagship (or more normal) Tf story wasn't selling? So the whole continuity had to be rebooted? Were sales really low? 10000 or so per issue? Is that low for comics. Nowadays?

I got the last issue of Unicron and found all the hasbro universe stuff really off putting. Is AHM not worth a look? I have read last stand of the wreckers and that was super
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Auntie Slag »

If you liked Last Stand of the Wreckers, then its worth reading the second and third part of that saga if you haven't already!

The second part is called 'Sins of the Wreckers;, and the final part is 'Requiem of the Wreckers'. It fits nicely around the MTMTE/Lost Light saga (I'm assuming you've read all of MTMTE and Lost Light).

I think All Hail Megatron is worth a look if you were a fan of the cartoons. Its not terrible, its just not up to the level of the aforementioned titles, but it's still quite natty. I'm also a fan of Megatron: Origin. Its a four-part series and even though the art is confusing, I find the story quite interesting, especially if you're a fan of the old Marvel UK comics from the 1980's and 90's. It kind of refers back to certain stories from those times ('State Games' from the 1985 Annual, I think).
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Auntie Slag »

And yeah, like you say sales were apparently low. The number you cite seems to be no brilliant numbers. But it was only counting the physical sales. I don't know what digital sales were like.
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Denyer
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Denyer »

I assume the reason for pulling the plug (as well as the dire shared universe material) was down to different suits at Hasbro getting the control stick, plus a bit of reported internal strife at IDW -- they've still got the licence and go ahead to launch something that'll probably do worse in terms of sales, having alienated most existing readers with the wrap up. There's no huge untapped pool of readers, and soft reboots have demonstrated that.

AHM is about four issues of material spread over twelve, and really has little or no connection to the rest of the run preceding it -- it could've been slotted into Dreamwave or a cartoon-based continuity. Wouldn't recommend personally but I know a few people who enjoyed it. Wouldn't really recommend the Furman material because it was very badly handled, particularly at later stages; the main plot was forced to wrap up in four Spotlight issues whilst five issues (IIRC) got wasted on Maximum Dinobots.
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Skyquake87 »

^Agree. Hasbro have been a bit twitchy since The Last Knight failed to deliver the billions they were expecting and I think that's prompted a re-think across the board with what they're doing. The comics can't have been that much of a concern to Hasbro, but the industry as a whole is still seems to be finding it hard to sell even their big hitters, which are endlessly rebooted. It's interesting as well that Transfomers in comics continues to sell G1-centric characters/ stories, with attempts to do thinks for stuff aimed at kids Animated, Prime & RID15 being very short lived. It suggests that as with the wider comics industry, comics continue to sell to older readers and aren't bringing in younger readers. Or, if they are, they're reading the digital versions.

Increased cost on the physical monthlies isn't a help to longevity either; I'm finding it hard to pay £3.50 a month for books these days and leaning towards trades/ dropping titles, unless it's something like Criminal or Lazarus that feel worth the monthly cost.

In terms of IDWs output, I'd probably agree with Auntie Slag's recommendations. Wreckers and MTMTE/ LL have been the high water mark in terms of ideas and innovation and there isn't much within their universe which has come close to these titles.
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Re: Lost Light - The End - SPOILERS

Post by Auntie Slag »

I also really recommend some of the Spotlight issues for good, one-off size stories. My favourites have been Spotlights: Shockwave, Metroplex, Soundwave and Jazz. If you’re happy with digital you can usually pick these up for 69p each on ComiXology!

[Edit] Oh, and of course Chaos Theory, you must read that if you haven’t already. It’s a two-parter about Prime and Megatron and it’s superb. It came from the Transformers IDW ongoing (just called ‘Transformers’), from issues #22 and #23). Ever since Lost Light ended I’ve gone entirely digital, it’s miles cheaper the art really pops on a tablet screen!
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Re: Lost Light 9

Post by Hot Rod Here »

inflatable dalek wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:46 pm Well that was a really good fully back on form two parter wasn't it?

This issue alone was incredibly dense, lots of ideas and movement of plot pieces. Probably more than in the first six issues put together.

After initially finding the coffin bot a bit inexplicable, I really liked the final reveal of what he was. It's nice to see one of the more interesting ideas from Age of Extinction (the manufactured Transformer that can do anything) get the potential chance to breath a bit more.

The Velocity/Nautica stuff was fantastic as well. Very Philip K Dick of course, but nice and creepy. Initially I thought Velocity was a bit wishy washy by deciding it was Nautica's choice (especially as you could argue her PTSD from Necroworld has left her unfit to agree to any medical procedure), I think few people would let a depressed friend go for a backstreet brain surgery even if it meant knocking them out (or in this case suggesting phoning up Cyclonus and asking for a loan from his vast wealth, I think he'd be down to help Skids), but upon thinking more about it I'd say it was true to her character even if it was clearly a poor choice.

Anode and Lug carried the lighter part of the plot, but romped along nicely and were great fun. Complete with the "I've got something in my hand that can hurt you" gag from the first Red Dwarf book.

Erm, no apparently that was inspired by Blackadder's Christmas Carol ("And the best thing is, it's the gift that keeps giving").

Flame left me a bit cold, I think because his body language was such a large part of the original and there was none of that here.

Oh that final page though. I'm amazed Maximum Dinobots was actually the last time we saw Scorpy in the present, I'd have sworn he cameoed in Last Stand. I suppose the Dille pre-war stuff and Reg has made it seem like not such an absence.

The Magnificence was of course, a rubbish badly thought out bit of nonsense. But so was Megatron's anti-matter eyes and Roberts had great fun unashamedly rehabilitating them, so I'm expecting some gleeful stuff from this.

All in all, a two parter the equal of upper level MTMTE. Feels like the shudder caused by the relaunch has corrected itself nicely. Lovely art as well.
Sorry I’m late to the party, but I’m glad neither came back. I don’t hate them, but I despise cheap death. If I came early. I would say I hope both stay dead.
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