Beast Wars: The Ascending #1-4/TPB

Post by **zigzagger** » Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:37 pm

Okay, I am just going to go ahead a put these up even if the book ends up being further delayed....again

After a rather lengthy wait, IDW's Beast Wars story arc finally continues. This is your all purpose Beast Wars: The Ascending #1 reaction thread. Place your praise and/or revilement here.

Purportedly scheduled to hit the shelves October 3rd according to IDW. Check back later for confirmation, etc.

edit
confirmed to ship according to CNI
http://comicnewsi.com/article.php?catid ... emid=10452

Post by **zigzagger** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:44 am

Though I hadn't read The Gathering (I got as far as finishing the first issue) I felt compelled to pick up The Ascending #1...probably because it was sitting right next to Devastation #1. Nevertheless, I felt IDW's Beasties deserved a chance.

Keeping in mind that I passed on The Gathering (though there is a nice synopsis on the opposite side of the cover), there were moments through out the issue where the story kind of felt cluttered, not feeling entirely sure what was going on half of the time. It's not as if the issue was bad by any means, it's just that the pacing felt really...awkward. Must be those damn temporal shunts!

The Magmatron narrative/sub-plot, however, was wonderfully executed in how he weaved in and out each setting/time frame as an observer. Though his imprisonment within a temporal limbo was of his own doing (sort of), his tale strikes me as tragic in a way. Honestly, thus far, he is the only character that I have seen thus far that really intrigues me. I'm curious to see what direction this goes (and to some extent the development of Shokaract as well, since it ties into Magmatron's plight).

Seems like a decent introductory chapter, though I'll definitely have to re-read this one, perhaps when the second issue arrives. Even with a fair amount of dialogue, and the occasional narratives provided by Magmatron which shed light on some of the confusion here, it just seems unnecessarily complicated at this point in the game. Though the the fate of Magmatron is revealed to the reader, the rest of the issue is dominated by the Maximal/Predacon battle(s), not much else really happened.
3 out 5

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:06 pm

I think I need to reread this one as the ending completely meh'd me- Unicron has teamed up with someone I've never heard off! DUH DUH DUH! It also speant a bit to long re-establishing the situation on Earth without adding anything new to it. And I'm still not sure why the Maximal's don't just de-phase themselves, leaving the Predacons out of time and then hitch a lift with Optimus Primal.

Ostentatious · Post by **Ostentatious** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:38 pm

I'll have to say that I enjoyed the musings of ethereal Magmatron. But my complaints remain in the realm of the inclusion of Japanese characters. The reuse of character designs will get annoying, e.g. Drillbit and Drillnuts. One Predacon, the other a Maximal, yet both have the same body. Long lost brothers? *gasp*

Let's all just hope it doesn't go that way.
Also, I thought the coloring was a little bland compared to "The Gathering" but whatever.

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:48 pm

I think I figured it out. Simon Furman is pulling an Alan Moore. Only a man who stives to imitate the giddy excesses of Top 10 or The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen would cast a shiny blue convention exclusive that starred in a famously atrocious comic a decade previously as a main role in what could be a perfectly reasonable Beast Wars story. I bet Moon will turn up, too.

Now that I am in that mindset, I think I now like The Gathering.

But only just!

Nevermore · Post by **Nevermore** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:14 pm

Overall, I found this issue dull. Not really a step up from "The Gathering" at all. Too many characters, too little characterization. I mean, even GRIMLOCK doesn't really get fleshed out. As with The Gathering, a significantly smaller cast would have served this format a lot better. It worked for -ation, after all.

Vida · Post by **Vida** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 10:21 pm

Some of you mentioned you wanted to read the gathering so I figured I'd put this warning... not that I think its much of a spoiler (or that there is even much to spoil in that ark).

***********The Gathering Spoilers******************

I have a problem with Magmatron gathering an "army" here. Its just supposed to be the crew of the Axlon on Earth. Even if it was a massive ship (which it wasnt), I dont think it could hold enough of an army to overthrow cybertron. Weak plot point IMO.

But I do like the Magmatron floating around side plot as well of the inclusion of Unicron.

-Tony Vida; TK 3204; Austin, Tx

Philister · Post by **Philister** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 1:41 pm

Like I wrote in the Sourcebook thread, I really do hope Furman manages to tie all these different Beast-series together into a coherent whole.

Though I have to say that the first issue was pretty confusing. And that's from someone who knows who/what "Shokaract" and "Angolmois" are.

Post by **zigzagger** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:25 am

This is your all purpose Beast Wars: The Ascending #2 reaction thread. Shower it with praise and/or venom right here.

Due to ship October 17th according CNI.
http://comicnewsi.com/article.php?catid ... emid=10536
Subject to change, of course.

EDIT:
Seeing that the release of the 2nd issue appears to be a lot sooner than one might expect, here is the reaction/discussion thread for the first issue

DrSpengler · Post by **DrSpengler** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:39 pm

Definately enjoying this series more so far than the Gathering.

The Blentrons were just about the only thing I really enjoyed when I sat through Beast Wars Neo, so I was all giddy seeing them show up in #2. Rartorarta was always my favorite, too, so watching him **** up Razorbeast was a treat.

I expect that Furman has depowered the Blentrons for the Ascending, since they were ****ing INVINCIBLE in Beast Wars Neo. A fight with them wouldn't really last long.

Post by **zigzagger** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:38 pm

My primary concern with the issue, and possibly the series as a whole, is the plethora of characters that continue to be squeezed into an already overpopulated cast, resulting in a lot of the characters coming across as rather generic. Honestly, having The Pack show up on Earth really didn't advance the story on Earth all too much, other than giving a reason to have Stampy in there; it was the Magmatron sub-plot, once again, that has given some cohesion to the story unfolding on Earth. Another high point is the other set of characters situated on Cybertron. Big Convoy's discovery of the Angolmois, aside from it being the source of Shokaract's addiction ("Bring me more!'), has some lovely exposition, particularly while BC reiterates what he thinks what has occurred. The Imperium was a nifty little addition. A nod to the Tripredicus Counsel, I take it.
Overall, it certainly made some sense out of the first issue, but still is plagued by its clutter. The pacing this time around was more steady despite the clutter issue, while the Cybertron sub-plot looks quite promising.
[edited: after rereading it...an average rating for an average story]
3 out 5

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:44 pm

So I take it the Prowl, Ironhide and Silverbolt on Cybertron are supposed to be the G1 versions? Are those looks based on toys? I'm not sure of the wisdom of having two Prowl's in the comic (My Two Prowls indeed...).

Not much is happening is it? The insane amount of characters means half of each issue seems given over to pointless fight scenes to try and give them something to do. I still have no idea who Shocaract is, nor why i should care about his Unicron team up. Same goes for the Angomolis, which annoyingly is introduced as if I should know all about it and be as shocked as everyone else (I don't know if it's from fan fic as well like Shocky...).

DrSpengler · Post by **DrSpengler** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 7:08 pm

Originally posted by inflatable dalek
Same goes for the Angomolis, which annoyingly is introduced as if I should know all about it and be as shocked as everyone else (I don't know if it's from fan fic as well like Shocky...).

Angolmois energy was actually the main plot device during BWII and Neo. Basically, it's the lifefore of Unicron that got sent hurtling through time and space and he blew up in the Movie.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Angolmois

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:56 pm

Well, two Prowl's is at least one to many. I'm wondering if Furman will actually have the balls to keep Razorbeast evil (and thus give someone else a chance to play leader), or if he'll bottle it.

And the Unicron ooze thing could have been made a lot clearer. The issue makes it look as if Big Convoy and co think it's just a drug of some sort...

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:10 pm

Furman has certainly tied botcon continuities and japanese ones together, hence Shockaract and the green energy thing.

Anybody else got an Ultra Magnus vibe from Big Convoy? In some of the panels he reminded me a lot of him, especially the colouring of the area around the chest.

What I find really stupid is the inclusion of identical characters\toys. I mean, is Apache really necessary when he's just like B'Boom?

Overall, I really enjoyed this issue. One plot question, however...how come Magmatron saw the chaos that went on in Cybertron's near future, but not what Megatron is about to unleash in the coming days\weeks?

Post by **zigzagger** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 3:43 am

This is your all purpose Beast Wars: The Ascending #3 reaction and discussion thread. Come, tell us what you thought.

Scheduled to ship December 12th according to CNI
http://comicnewsi.com/article.php?catid ... emid=10816
Date subject to change

Post by **zigzagger** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:14 am

Hmm. A bit more dense, which is usually a good thing, but considering this is the second to last issue of this arc, it seems to have come a bit too late. Though there is some progression: Shokaract makes his move on Cybertron, while the Maximal and Predacons on earth allign. That, essentially, is about it. The threat of Shokaract continues to come across as less apocalyptic as suggested. The plan so far, as I read it, is that Shokaract, or whomever, is looking to exploit the Angolmois addictive properties to throw Cybretron into a frenzied chaos. What this has to do with Unicron will most likely be revealed next issue...if it does at all. Shokaract attacks Big Convoy's group as they continue to investigate traces of the dark substance - tears Tasmania Kid in half too - but how this ties into the overall scheme of things has yet to be revealed, and I fear this revelation will feel a bit rushed by the time the fourth issue arrives. Since the three current issues have focused primarily on various battles, not enough room has been left to further develop the story in any significant way,only in small random bits. It's still, well, kind of all over the place and it is still not entire clear what is going on other than a superfluous amount of characters fighting each other. I'm left with the feeling that, and this is my opinion, when I read The Ascending, it genuinely feels like its a story about battling toys (as the license suggests) under the pretense of something more deep and profound.
3 out 5
2.5 out of 5

Nevermore · Post by **Nevermore** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:23 pm

Originally posted by zigzagger
It's still, well, kind of all over the place and it is still not entire clear what is going on other than a superfluous amount of characters fighting each other. I'm left with the feeling that, and this is my opinion, when I read The Ascending, it genuinely feels like its a story about battling toys (as the license suggests) under the pretense of something more deep and profound.

That's pretty much how I perceived it. Big "yawn" from me. None of the so-called characters in this book do ANYTHING for me. Not even Ravage.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 4:25 pm

It'll be Friday before I can get this, I'm completely non plussed about it though. Shame really that seems to be the common view considering how anticipated BW comics were originally and how well the first couple of issues of The gathering were.

Nevermore · Post by **Nevermore** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:59 pm

I found IDW's Beast Wars utterly disappointing from issue 1.

A bunch of nobodies doing nothing of importance,w ritten by someone who doesn't know what made the Beast WarsTV show great and drawn by someone who has apparently never seen an animal in his entire life.

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Beast Wars: The Ascending #1-4/TPB

Beast Wars: The Ascending #1-4/TPB

Beast Wars: The Ascending #2 reaction thread

Beast Wars: The Ascending #3