Spotlight: Shockwave

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Commander Shockwav
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Spotlight: Shockwave

Post by Commander Shockwav »

Preview here: http://tfarchive.com/comics/idw/preview ... spotlights

* * *

Of the issues IDW has released to date, this one is my favorite of all.

Just when I thought it difficult to surpass Stormbringer as a complete Transformers tale of top notch quality, Simon, Nick, and Josh put together something for the ages.

Granted, featuring my favorite TF character of all helped. But it was more than that.

It was the genius of Shockwave and his internal dialogue. If there is such a thing as a writer's Fountain of Youth, Simon has found it and drank from it plentifully. Yes, the dialogue fits Shockers perfectly.

It was Nick's gorgeous pencilling and inking. What an incredibly ingenious style. Something quite different than what we're really used to, making this the freshest TF art since Don's introduction.

It was Josh's stellar coloring, which continues to improve with every issue.

It was the tie-ins with Infiltration. The cultivated Energon source that Starscream discovered on Earth in present times can only be the handiwork of Shockwave. And Shockwave saw Cybertron's collapse coming long before anyone else in Stormbringer. How cool is that!

It was the nostalgia. Many years ago, children most of us, we cracked open Marvel #7 Warrior School to see an embattled Shockwave go fist to fist with the Dinobots, only to be buried alive together. Again, we are treated to the same matchup, under different circumstances, but with no less an exciting conclusion as the first.

As a succinct tale, as a tale that stands on its own within the binding of but a single issue, it doesn't get any better than this.

My first "A+" TF issue from IDW.
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Neuronutter
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Post by Neuronutter »

I picked up the first of the Spotlights today and damn it is good. Here’s my review, spoilers beware!

Ah, good old Shockwave, reliable as ever and always interesting. Someone Furman seems to like and enjoy writing with and in this comic it shows. The word I’d use to describe this issue is most definitely fun! Bags and bags of fun! The artwork is cartoonish and makes a nice change from the other IDW artists, the colouring is bright and suits the artwork very well, the characters are well drawn and interesting and I really enjoyed the whole thing. And I wasn’t expecting to, or at least not as much as I did.

While other IDW artists provide excellence in Stormbringer and Infiltration, Nick Roche’s art in this Spotlight is very different from either of the other two, and certainly much nicer than the bulgy DW style. The TFs in this comic come across as much more lithe and fluid, less bulky and the action scenes are very well done. All in all the overall look of the comic is great. The paper the comic is printed on seems glossier than normal adding to the overall sheen of the finished product. Another thing that deserves a mention is Josh’s colouring. It’s excellent and really helps bring the comic to life.

The reformatting of the dino/dynobots also looks great and is a nice nod to the recent beast wars comics. I also like the explanation of why the dinobots are forced to reformat their alt modes and Grimlock’s attitude towards the whole thing is amusing with him rejecting off hand the idea of being a Woolly Mammoth. Grimlock as a mammoth would be hilarious! Also the picture of Prime with his finger on Grimlocks chest in a “no, bad boy” gesture is hilarious! The humour of the comic feels much more overstated which makes a change.

As for the story, well Furman seemed to be having fun when he wrote this. His characters are well fleshed out, Shockwave’s overriding logic and inability to comprehend why the dynobots are after him is interesting, as well is the part when he loses his cool and finally gets mad! Grimlock also comes across very well and the page where his and Shockwave’s dialogue overlap and you get to see the vast gulf that bridges their mentalities is fun. Grimlocks complete inability to let his need for revenge go is also nice characterisation and makes it clear the difference between him and someone like Prime.

The resolution of this comic is also really well done and presumably Shockwave will appear in Escalation soon, but at least his appearance will make some kind of sense. I’m actually looking forward to his return and seeing the Dynobots in Escalation minus their outer skins. Another nice aspect of the ending was that it was brought about due to Shockwave’s inability to take anything but the logical into consideration when planning and Grimlock’s forethought in his planning and knowing that Shockwave may in fact beat his Dynobots and that Grimlock considered and planned for this. Again with the good characterisations.

So all in all I really enjoyed this issue and it’s a lot of fun! The artwork was different and suited the story and the bright colours are really great, the story itself was good and the characters well drawn and interesting. I really hope the rest of the Spotlight stories are this good and tie in this well with the other IDW on goings.
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Post by Denyer »

Not reading the reviews yet; will probably wait for my copy to arrive first -- quick question, though... any numbering on the issue?
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Post by mista_lyle »

Really enjoyed this- didnt realise it was out so i had SUCH a spree yesterday picking up Spotlight, Stormbringer 3, Evolutions 3 and GIJOE/Transformers compilation 3 !!! wow!

but back to Shockwave - great story telling, especially the insight into SW's internal thoughts through-out. Was a little disappointed that he managed to beat the Dynobots so easily after they had pretty hit him with everything! ah well - the parallells with the Marvel comic story about them all being buried on Earth was cool. My favourite thing about this issue tho is the further insight we get into IDWs continuity. Explains why the 'cons are on Earth in Infiltration - possibly also why they were on earth in the Evolutions series?? - also interesting Cameo from Bludgeon... cant help but think this is going to add another twist into IDWs mythos...
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Denyer
Not reading the reviews yet; will probably wait for my copy to arrive first -- quick question, though... any numbering on the issue?


It is numbered issue one, but as I recall the He-Man one shots were all numbered issue one...
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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chiasaur11
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Post by chiasaur11 »

It seems like shockwave won by blowing off the outer skin, exposing Grim's gang to energon radiation. Anyone else find it kinda nice shockwave won via blind rage and the dinobots ended the fight with strategy?

Oh, I think the stuff he planted was the ore 13.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

People have been making a lot of comparisions between IDW's TF output and Marvels Ultimate comics (including Mr. Furman)- But this was the first of their issues to really feel like it was doing the Ultimates thing. IE- Taking an old story and retelling it (in this case the Shocker Vs. Dinobots in the Savage Land flashback). Still, considering it was a old story, and basically one big fight, it was fab. Good charecterisation, fantastic art and just a fun romp.

And how long has it been before this since Grimlock spoke normally for an entire issue? Though I bet when he wakes up from his long sleep he'll have suffered damage to his vocal circuits...
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Post by Ballplayer »

I find it funny that everybody really adores this comic, I find Stormbringer 3 vastly superior...

Can I presume you're all old school Marvel comic fan boys and that's why you like this comic so much?

I do hope Furman also makes some cartoon hommages soon, to pick up the cartoon fanboys (moi) as well ;)

Still a solid comic this first spotlight...
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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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Post by Denyer »

Awesome.

Best TF comic IDW have done so far.
that's why you like this comic so much?
By the time I got into the comics, it was into the 200s, and I pieced together bits in retrospect.

This was well-paced, explained itself as it went along and pushed the overall story forwards. New -- Beast modes. Disdain. Shockwave switching off his higher processing functions. Dinobots Dynobots without comedy accents.

Josh has excelled himself on the fight effects. I love how dynamic Nick's style is. Furman has a handle on the characters and the bigger picture.

My opinion of Stormbringer's going to be affected quite a bit by #4. Looking forward to the rest of the oneshots most at the moment.
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Post by optimusskids »

The One shots remind me of the Marvel spotlights they incorporated into the main continuity i think they were called Perchance to Dream (unless that was the one with the evil nightlights) with Sunstreaker etc.

An excellent re imagining of an old story with all the kinks ironed out


Like how it ties into the main continuity.

Hope they continue the one shots after the current crop have been released.

Would like to see Sky Lynx for example and maybe Hubcap and Thundercracker look into the thought processes of the less than perfect Autobot and the conflicted Decepticon.
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Post by Ballplayer »

This conflicted Decepticon idea of Thundercracker is it a DW idea because I've read the entire US Marvel run (when it was still readable on this site) and seen the entire US cartoon.

But I never thought for one instance that Thundercracker was a conflicted con, till I read the MTMTE book of DW.

But hoping for a Tracks story here, or perhaps Jazz...
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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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Post by Denyer »

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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Denyer
Dinobots Dynobots without comedy accents.


Oh, that's what I didn't like, the sheer daftness of the Dynobots name was something I was hoping got left behind at Dreamwave...
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 »

Don't really care either way about the name, I just like that they're being portrayed as a little more capable and smart than a Point-->Go-->Kill team. Would imagine they'll be Dinobots later on (and I really like that the skin's already almost gone by the end of the ish.)
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Originally posted by Denyer
Don't really care either way about the name,


I just find it daft they'd have a name that's allmost exactly the same as the one they get by chance latter on.

I want a Shockwave briefcase.
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Post by Ballplayer »

Me 2 I already said that about the name by the time DW used it...

It's just really lame, btw why would you have to name them at all...
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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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Post by Sir Auros »

Loved it and the artwork was the best so far in the IDW TF books (not that I think anything else has been bad), but something really cool that I don't recall anyone mentioning is that this could also clearly tie into the Beast Wars continuity. This was how you do a fan service. You put all those references together and make them work instead of just cramming in as many references to the original movie as you can.
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Post by Denyer »

Apart from the lack of an Ark with Prime and Co. in it.

What I like is the suggestion that they have the BW synthetic skin tech but don't ordinarily see a reason to use it. Maybe there are infiltration teams elsewhere in the galaxy disguised as animals, maybe not.

(Expecting some revelations about the cloning tech hinted at in Infiltration to come in Escalation...)
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Post by Lambda prime »

robots disguised as humans in future IDW continuity anyone?
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Post by Ballplayer »

Just thinking for a bit, does the BW continuity of IDW correspond with their G1 continuity since in Infiltration there is no golden Ark ship crashed in a mountain. But I believe there was one in BW: The Gathering...

so...
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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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