Transformers: Robots in Disguise #34

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zigzagger
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Transformers: Robots in Disguise #34

Post by zigzagger »

Transformers: Robots In Disguise #34 three-page preview is up @ iTunes.
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Unicron
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Post by Unicron »

Ugh. Why do I have the feeling that they're importing that whole 13 Primes and Earth being super special/Unicron's naptime place thing from Prime?
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

Massive SPOILERS below

Cover is misleading. Rhinox is barely in it.

Amazing story of the ancients. This is more like "Nova Prime: Origins" than Robots in Disguise.

The issue basically chronicles Galvatron's and Nova's journey from "humility" to being the bastards they are now, showing that Alpha Trion orchestrated the whole thing as they were supposedly trustworthy back then.

A lot of backstory and mish-mashing with the Covenant of Primus and the 13 Primes; basically IDW's take on it. Some interesting concepts, and a lot more "epic story" than the "political thriller" that ensued later on with the Senate etc.

Sadly we only get to see one of the other Primes, and just barely. The rest are never seen in the issue and are said to have run away [??].

Unfortunately it all ties in to a token object that will help transformers combine [ie tying up with the combiner wars crossover], that ended up on Earth, and how Prime says it might be what will help Superion. Meh.

Some winky winky "bad guy" vibe from Prowl towards the end, for no reason, as Prime said he trusts him. Oh well.

Nova's ascent made me smile the whole way through. Awesome issue.
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Terome
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Post by Terome »

I agree with you, Knightdramon. This issue was surprisingly good - it integrated all that Thirteen Primes guff quite nicely, built on continuity rather than just patched holes in it, gave us a new angle on Galvatron and Nova and hit the tone of 'epic tale from the Before Time' really well. For my money, Galvatron works best as a pulp hero.

And yes, the bit at the end was a bum note. As was the 'Megatronus' thing, which I felt could have been safely ignored.

Still not convinced on Combiner Wars.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Oh look, Nova Prime and Jhiaxus. And Ores! I can't tell you how excited I was about seeing them again. Seriously Barber, Let. It. Go.

Otherwise, mad Galvatron the Barbarian stuff was fun and played to Livio's strengths and I'm Mad Me Alpha Trion remains the one good idea Mike Costa ever had.

But the combiners hunting thing now being throwing retroactively even further and further back (it's basically becoming what Transformers has actually been about all along) in unengaging and it doesn't deal with any of the flaws in the set up that the combiners have consistently been useless in battle. At least one line explaining why they don't just build a load of Omega Supremes instead would be nice.

And are we going to have to start a drinking game for every time an issue ends with a "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh is Prowl EVIL!?!?!?!" moment? (and no doubt also one for every issue that opens with "No, not really"). Especially as there doesn't seem to be any actual reason for him to be having an archly sinister moment in response to Prime's "Why wouldn't I tell Prowl everything?" line, it feels like a total non sequitur.

Can we have Wheeljack in every issue?
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Terome
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Post by Terome »

inflatable dalek wrote:
Can we have Wheeljack in every issue?
That would be best, I feel.
But the combiners hunting thing now being throwing retroactively even further and further back (it's basically becoming what Transformers has actually been about all along) in unengaging and it doesn't deal with any of the flaws in the set up that the combiners have consistently been useless in battle. At least one line explaining why they don't just build a load of Omega Supremes instead would be nice.
Yes, especially as Prime goes out of his way to tell everyone just how useless the combiners have been. Devastator didn't exactly wipe out the Decepticons two months ago and didn't even manage to subdue Earth all that effectively. They have spaceships! Why are they bothering to glue people together to make a big dumb guy?
Otherwise, mad Galvatron the Barbarian stuff was fun and played to Livio's strengths and I'm Mad Me Alpha Trion remains the one good idea Mike Costa ever had.
Yeah, was quite impressed by that Tower of Light siege with the beasts. Galvatron the Barbarian is genuinely great value. I like how terrible he is at lying also.
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Post by Unicron »

Terome wrote:Yes, especially as Prime goes out of his way to tell everyone just how useless the combiners have been. Devastator didn't exactly wipe out the Decepticons two months ago and didn't even manage to subdue Earth all that effectively. They have spaceships! Why are they bothering to glue people together to make a big dumb guy?
I'm inclined to think they're aiming for having the combiners made with this month's Macguffin being 'real' combiners, and thus more powerful and effective than the current crop of mad science projects.

(As an aside, my hope had been that the Technobots would have whipped up Computron as a foray into making a good combiner, since they had a little time to study Monstructor's component parts back in the Furman days. But they're mostly dead now so that won't happen. Poor Technobots, they get no respect)
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Don't worry, if the toys get that far the Technobots will no doubt make a miraculous recovery. Except for the one Hasbro no longer has the copyright for the name, who will die horribly off page and be replaced by 7 Zark 7.
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Post by Unicron »

inflatable dalek wrote:Don't worry, if the toys get that far the Technobots will no doubt make a miraculous recovery. Except for the one Hasbro no longer has the copyright for the name, who will die horribly off page and be replaced by 7 Zark 7.
That would be one hell of a miraculous recovery. Wasn't Nosecone ripped apart or eaten by Sweeps? And Afterburner and Lightspeed blew themselves up with Kimia.

So that would mean the two of them survived blowing Kimia out of the sky, stitched Nosecone back together, and somehow also survived the Kimia wreckage being smashed by Devastator. All while not being noticed by anyone else/appearing on panel. That would strain credulity far more than any of the other fake-out deaths we've gotten.

Oh! I know. That was actually their spark brothers Nosebone, Afterbruner, and Lichtspeed.
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

The Monsterbots got better after Kimia.
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Post by Unicron »

inflatable dalek wrote:The Monsterbots got better after Kimia.
I could argue that Grotusque's survival of Kimia could be attributed to him being an unseen passenger in the escape pod/Arcee's shuttle (don't think the other two were shown ever being on Kimia), and that the 3 Technobot's fates were a bit more definitive. But why bother. If they want them back, they'll come up with some manner of stupid to make it work.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

There's one good point the Underbase podcast made, we're not quite at the point where Primus is confirmed as existing in IDW, but we now know that Space Jesus and the Space Disciples are real, with Space Jesus winding up being one of Prime's old friends. That's a hell of the shift from the ambiguity IDW have normally aimed for.
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Post by Denyer »

Unicron wrote:Ugh. Why do I have the feeling that they're importing that whole 13 Primes and Earth being super special/Unicron's naptime place thing from Prime?
Oh good, now I'm actively avoiding an IDW title rather than just not giving a shit about it. That won't possibly bleed into the decent book they have going.
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Post by Unicron »

Denyer wrote:Oh good, now I'm actively avoiding an IDW title rather than just not giving a shit about it. That won't possibly bleed into the decent book they have going.
My comment was made based off the preview. That said they did bring in the 13 Primes but are doing them differently. They seem more like warlords than mystical-ish beings. Really not sold on the idea, but better than what Prime did with it.
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