Transformers: Drift #1-4 / TPB

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 11:35 am

Ah, memories.

Consider the hatred we could inspire if either of us were actually trying.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 11:52 am

I do kind-of miss having a genuinely psychopathic arch-enemy. The way I see it is that if I'd pissed something like him off that much I must've been doing something right...

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:25 pm

It is basically a set of Russian dolls of gitishness. Inside and smallest you have Walky blatantly really pleased about the whole thing and being rather grandiose about "creating" a character whose personality was basically "The opposite of Ravage". Then you've got Milne being all "Me? No idea guv'nor. My friend..errr... Linme suggested it". And on the outside the fattest Russian bastard of all everyone's second favorite incompetent editor after Schmidt.

I mean really, you don't want your artists randomly drawing named characters as crowd deaths in case you want to use them later, great. Tell them that first though.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:29 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:a character whose personality was basically "The opposite of Ravage".

Er, how is a leetspeaking blogger basically the opposite of Ravage?

Post by **Denyer** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 5:40 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:Tell them that first though.

Should anyone seriously have to tell a comics artist that?

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 5:47 pm

Denyer wrote:Should anyone seriously have to tell a comics artist that?

I can see the logic in using pre-existing obscure character designs to pad out crowd scenes, it saves time and does the hard part of designing a robot for you. Milne might well have been acting under the wacky assumption that if he'd used anyone he shouldn't the editor would tell him to change it when he handed his art in...

@ Halfshell, I bow to your superior knowledge, I must admit to being under the impression the Shattered Glass thing was just making the characters the exact opposite of the G1 versions.

Hey, making wild statements through lack of information, do you think I could get that IDW editor job?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 6:32 pm

I dunno, I can see a certain logic in using Hot Shot as a generic - he's an extant character from another timeline, which seems to be the only way to pad out crowd scenes these days. Invent an Impactor or a Chameleon? **** that, throw in a Diaclone or someone from Zone. Was Armada Hot Shot ever likely to turn up in the IDW G1 universe in any other capacity? It's the sort of thing that usually has the Waki-nerds touching themselves as they add another line to a page of some long-forgotten character.

I kinda like Cy-Kill (because he seems aware of the fact that he's complete rubbish, or if you're going Fleetway he's a complete bastard who actually wins the whole ****ing shooting match), I didn't have a hissy fit when he gets killed by Megatron in any comic with gladiatorial flashbacks.

Hot Shot still isn't a popular character, he's a hybrid of the worst aspects of Bumblebee, Hot Rod and Cheetor with a genuinely terrible toy - Walky doesn't even like him for what he is, he's just hijacked Matt Marshall's jAaM loving retarded version as part of his schtick. Similarly, everyone hates Kiss Players.

The mistake is going "LOL WALKY LIKS THESE!!!" openly.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 7:24 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:Invent an Impactor or a Chameleon? **** that, throw in a Diaclone or someone from Zone.

I'd say most of the non speaking background Transformers in the Marvel days were fairly rubbish and clearly done very quickly, even the living God Geoff Senior tended to draw them as looking more like Dragon's Claws team members (big helmets and not much body detail).

In terms of major speaking parts I'd agree Marvel did it better. But in a slightly abstract way, Drift is clearly a better bit of design work than Xaaron (who's basically Megatron's toy head stuck on the most minimally designed body possible) but there's just something much more endearing about old toaster mouth's look. Maybe it's a simple as him being a better written character overcoming the designs shortfalls? Or even the slightly cheeky way "So what does he actually turn into then?" was made a plot point in the Flame stories?

It's odd really that Impactor, the greatest success of the lot was designed by Jeff Anderson (well, presumably as he drew his first issue and that would be the form), the most workmanlike artist of the lot.

Commander Shockwav · Post by **Commander Shockwav** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:15 am

Probably the best of the three issues thus far, both art and story-wise.

We get a little fleshing out of some of the ancillary characters like Dai Atlas, Lockdown, and the head of the Slavers.

The anticipated "change of heart" happens with Drift, of course, so it's a bit cliche and predictable. Again, I find myself more enthused about the other characters, like Wing and Dai Atlas. Even Lockdown is more intriguing to me.

Not to say that Drift is unbearable. But his journey from evil to good is really the most dull part of this tale.

As I wrote on the IDW boards, to get away from the banality of it all concerning Drift, I would throw in a twist. Something along the lines of Drift rescuing Wing in some manner, thereby sending him the reverse message that pacifism sometimes isn't the best answer either. That sometimes, you have to fight to be free, something Megatron touted but never backed up.

It should be Wing who learns a thing or two from Drift in the end. I would take it even so far as having Wing assume the personage of the slain Drift after he sacrifices himself .

Perhaps Shane will surprise us all. Perhaps that's the reason why Wing the Pacifist looks so much like Drift.

Somehow, I doubt we'll get this.

But all in all, I will say this series hasn't been too bad.

Give this issue a B+. Hoping for a surprising and unpredictable conclusion.

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 11:45 am

It should be Wing who learns a thing or two from Drift in the end. I would take it even so far as having Wing assume the personage of the slain Drift after he sacrifices himself .

Now that would be interesting

Prime1 · Post by **Prime1** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 6:03 am

Commander Shockwav wrote:As I wrote on the IDW boards, to get away from the banality of it all concerning Drift, I would throw in a twist. Something along the lines of Drift rescuing Wing in some manner, thereby sending him the reverse message that pacifism sometimes isn't the best answer either. That sometimes, you have to fight to be free, something Megatron touted but never backed up.

It should be Wing who learns a thing or two from Drift in the end. I would take it even so far as having Wing assume the personage of the slain Drift after he sacrifices himself

I agree with this, these types of twists in story and twists in endings, that IDW TF stories are missing, examples of it working, obviously Last Stand of the Wreckers, AHM coda #15 the kup story, possibly in that realm Revelations, Stormbringer, examples of it failing, obviously All Hail Megatron, it touched here and there but was so predictable and bland that it made for such a regular story, too many things left unresolved, like Prime suddenly just springing back to action, how did Omega Supreme get Hot Rod's message, blah blah, anyhow and also this new Ongoing series, no twists no turns, just straight how you know it, boring and predictable, yes it introduces characters mostly unused in IDWverse but even once those characters are there you know exactly what to expect from them, and why is it that now all of a sudden you have the Stunticons, Combaticons, Predacons, all on earth now, they just show up and we must assume they were around during AHM but never shown, correct? I mean since those characters have to be assumed there during AHM, atleast show us how and what they did during the period, or why or how did they got to earth? I would love to see that the Predacons came to earth post-AHM looking for energon, but if its never implied or said how can we know? but im rambling

With all that said, I actually like this mini, and with the right twist in it, this could be a great story, and it would show that Shane learns and adapts which is good imo for a writer, the art is good, I actually like Milne's style, it fits so well with the characters in this story, and this go round I can actually tell whats going on and who's who without going back and looking again, as it was for me with M:O, but on the other hand, I like the way he draws Megatron in this series, I am glad about #4 being out in two weeks, instead of the usual monthly wait

Commander Shockwav · Post by **Commander Shockwav** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:04 am

Maybe I'm just expecting too much out of TF comics these days, but since IDW got the license, I feel like I've been swimming in a sea of mediocrity, with an occassional life vest (Rocherts) passing by that I grab onto to stay afloat.

So, yeah, predictable. Not bad, but not great. Yadda, yadda....

I was hoping for a bit more than the obvious with this conclusion. It was so Dances With Wolves, so The Last Samurai. Bad guy turns good guy and fights against bad guys. Wing becomes the cliche sacrificial lamb that gets Drift going with the proverbial "NOoooooooooooooo!" that results in the big baddies death as Drift goes Rambo on his ass. Not sure what the point of Lockdown was in this whole thing. He came and he went. Could have been any Con for all I care.

Perhaps the only part I enjoyed was the revelation of the mobility of Crystal City with Fortress Maxim.....er, Dai Atlas (predictably) coming to the rescue.

Art was okay. Some nice panels here and there, but still not a fan of Milne's style, really. Just not my cup of tea.

I'm starting to believe that I have reached that age where I'm being forced to pass TF comics by. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with TF comics themselves, per se. Perhaps they are intended to please whom they are aimed at.

But I'm beginning to believe that I'm not the intended target.

Give this issue a "B-", around what I would give the series as a whole.

Neuronutter · Post by **Neuronutter** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:32 pm

Commander Shockwav wrote:Maybe I'm just expecting too much out of TF comics these days, but since IDW got the license, I feel like I've been swimming in a sea of mediocrity, with an occassional life vest (Rocherts) passing by that I grab onto to stay afloat.

I'm starting to believe that I have reached that age where I'm being forced to pass TF comics by. Perhaps there is nothing wrong with TF comics themselves, per se. Perhaps they are intended to please whom they are aimed at.

That's pretty much how I feel with IDW now. I enjoyed Furman's run, thought there were some highlights (Escalation, Stormbringer, Shockwave) but the two effective reboots (AHM then Ongoing) plus a forced switch to trades have allowed me to realise how little of IDW's current output is actually any good. Recently the only things I've picked up are the resplendent Wreckers and the first ongoing trade. I was looking forward to the second until I read the reviews.

So I've effectively skipped Bumblebee and Non-ferrous, I'm unconvinced by Vol2 of the ongoing, Drift and Ironhide. Any recommendations?

Commander Shockwav wrote:Art was okay. Some nice panels here and there, but still not a fan of Milne's style, really. Just not my cup of tea.

Me neither. I'm still not convinced by the guy.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:07 pm

The thing is though, we're exactly the people they should be aiming the comics at. No one other than thirtyish year olds is going to be regularly picking up a G1 book.

Neuronutter · Post by **Neuronutter** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:36 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:The thing is though, we're exactly the people they should be aiming the comics at. No one other than thirtyish year olds is going to be regularly picking up a G1 book.

Seems like they lost track of that. It felt like the Furman run, and all the comics at that time, were aimed squarely at us and since then they've changed tack. I, and I'm sure there are plenty of others, have lost interest.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:06 pm

IDW are still publishing TF comics?

Neuronutter · Post by **Neuronutter** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:51 pm

So, I'm considering getting the Drift trade as I skipped the issues. Would anyone like to venture an opinion on whether the series is worth picking up?

Red Dave Prime · Post by **Red Dave Prime** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:52 pm

Eh, Not really. Theres a few nice bits here and there but ultimately its a story which has little to no impact on the main plots and lacks any major dramatic pull. Its not absolutely terrible but you're not missing much if you skip it.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 3:28 pm

Having now read this... Are we really sure this was a real comic and not an elaborate send up of all the worst aspects of McCarthy and Milne?

Terome · Post by **Terome** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:42 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:Having now read this... Are we really sure this was a real comic and not an elaborate send up of all the worst aspects of McCarthy and Milne?

How would one be able to tell the difference?

Having not read this, could you tell me if there is anything at all notable in it?