Transformers: Chaos Theory / Vol. 5 TPB

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Cliffjumper
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Post by Cliffjumper »

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HE SAYS HE'S THE TRANSFORMERS EDITRON! LIKE BECAUSE HE'S AN EDITOR OF, LIKE, A TRANSFORMERS COMIC, SO HE'S NOT AN EDITOR, BUT AN EDITRON - Y'KNOW, LIKE CYBERTRON OR BANZAI-TRON OR TIGATRON OR THE MANY, MANY OTHER THINGS IN TRANSFORMERS THAT ARE NORMAL THINGS BUT WITH -TRON ON THE END TO SHOW HOW TRANSFORMERS THEY ARE! THAT IS HANDS-DOWN THE SINGLE GREATEST THING I HAVE EVER, EVER, EVER SEEN! CAN I CHANGE MY SCREEN NAME TO CLIFFJUMPERTRON TO SHOW HOW TRANSFORMERS I AM?
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

With it being Schmidt I just assumed it was a typo. Be grateful there wasn't a few "I still functions!".

The fact Chaos not only apparently needs a chart showing what goes where but also a letter from the editor explaining what the hell is going on suggests they're not really so bothered about new readers. Or even the ones that joined with the big relaunches that were AHM and then the ongoing, who won't be up on Origin or the Tim Curry Universe stuff.
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Auntie Slag
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Post by Auntie Slag »

Megatron is cool. I've never been a fan of his until Megatron: Origin. Then I was on his side in Dark of the Moon, and now here too. Very well written, give the artist and writer a cygar:smokin:
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Terome
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Post by Terome »

In that incredibly British scene in the prison, is the distinction between 'forged' and 'constructed cold' some kind of allusion to 'sparked' and 'non-sparked' Transformers, and a class struggle between them? It would be neat if that exchange stayed put as a bit of flavour, but you get definitely get a story or two out of that, mark my words.
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Red Dave Prime
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Post by Red Dave Prime »

Picked up issues 20 & 21 today from forbidden planet. Have to say, I'm kinda interested. So far, no major screw ups. Biggest problem is that Heart of Darkness #4 is referenced in issue 20 and yet FP dont have it. I'll have to download it. It is funny how the whole chaos story seems to be as mcuh a wrap up of nearly all plot threads so that they can restart with a clean slate in issue 125/ 32.

This should be in stock this thursday and yeah, I'm actually looking forward to an IDW comic again.

(but still bracing for the inevitable groan issue that crumbles it all again)
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Paul053
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Post by Paul053 »

Red Dave Prime wrote:Biggest problem is that Heart of Darkness #4 is referenced in issue 20 and yet FP dont have it. I'll have to download it.
I knew this series is bad so I did the same thing. But still, every time when I read the first couple pages, I close it. And couldn't even finish issue 1 as far. Ulises Farinas isn't a bad artist but his style just doesn't fit with robots. How come IDW can't see that?
Red Dave Prime wrote:This should be in stock this thursday and yeah, I'm actually looking forward to an IDW comic again.

(but still bracing for the inevitable groan issue that crumbles it all again)
I have the same feeling, too. How many times this feeling rose up and then they made it sink again.
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Red Dave Prime
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Post by Red Dave Prime »

I have the same feeling, too. How many times this feeling rose up and then they made it sink again.
IDW comics are like that big gift from your auntie. You want to believe its going to be great (Gen 1 Soundwave - with all the the cassettes!) but in reality, it's a gobots jumper :(
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Terome wrote:I'm not sure we've done anything to deserve this.
Still being prepared to buy the comics if the right writers are attached, irrespective of whether the continuity as a whole has gone to shit?

Hopefully won't take too long to arrive in the post.
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ishfishmial0
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Post by ishfishmial0 »

The first seven pages had some really good dialogue. I can't wait until I read the whole thing. There are some great conversation pieces here.
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Skyquake87
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Post by Skyquake87 »

Wow.

Is this one of the greatest transformers comics ever? Very possibly.

A fantastic study of megatron and what he was and what he has become. The sadness in optimus frustration in trying to tap into the intelligent, politically driven idealist that megatron once was is one of the greatest prime / megatron clashes ever. It also gives us, perhaps for the first time ever, a greater understanding and appreciation for megatron. Throughout transformers long comic history, megs is forever quickly removed from the story and its always felt like we've never actually got to know and understand him. With this single issue, roberts redresses this situation and does the one thing those dreadful four issues of megatron origin failed to do.

Every transformers fan needs this as required reading.you don't need to have read the preceding issues to get a handle on whats gone on (good for me as i dropped the ongoing at #10 it was so awful). There's the usual nods to assorted transformers toy and comic history which in a lesser writer would be horrific navel gazing,but here they serve to add a little extra colour and flesh out the rules and norms of cybertronian society. Plus! Impactor and xarron!

A fantastic piece of work. Alex milne's work is also a revelation.leaving behind the blocky mess he used to churn out in favour of a cleaner, more detailed style.his storytelling has improved leaps and bounds too! Great work!

Forget petitions to get furman and wildman recapturing past glories, how about just getting roberts on board to write the ongoing? That is what transformers comics need.

Can't say I'm sorry to see Schimdt go. His obvious enthusiasm for Transformers hasn't resulted in a decent direction for the comics or any decent eitorial control, and were one being cynical, one might be given to wonder whether this was so he could simply ingraitiate himself with Hasbro and tout for work with them...
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Neuronutter
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Post by Neuronutter »

Skyquake87 wrote:Forget petitions to get furman and wildman recapturing past glories, how about just getting roberts on board to write the ongoing?
Looks like they're already done that. Well, on one of the ongoings anyway.

Skyquake87 wrote:Can't say I'm sorry to see Schimdt go. His obvious enthusiasm for Transformers hasn't resulted in a decent direction for the comics or any decent editorial control, and were one being cynical, one might be given to wonder whether this was so he could simply ingraitiate himself with Hasbro and tout for work with them...
Heh. Shame he was never as good as his enthusiasm. And, ah the cynicism. Hopefully, Barber will be better. Kinda miss the days of Ryall. That's the last time I remember the editing being any good, but maybe that's just me.
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Paul053
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Post by Paul053 »

Read the issue last night. Wow! Reading it was like reading three issues as all previous issues were so dull. Why does it take that long for us to see this kind of quality?
Skyquake87 wrote:It also gives us, perhaps for the first time ever, a greater understanding and appreciation for megatron. Throughout transformers long comic history, megs is forever quickly removed from the story and its always felt like we've never actually got to know and understand him.
Yeah, called this a Megatron Spotlight.:)
Skyquake87 wrote:The sadness in optimus frustration in trying to tap into the intelligent, politically driven idealist that megatron once was is one of the greatest prime / megatron clashes ever.
Indeed. I would say Prime's frustration toward the end was so good written and illustrated.

It's also interesting they choose Whirl to do that dirty job.
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Milne pulled that off pretty well apart from the last panel, which feels like he did it five years earlier. Nice cover concept too.

We've seen this confrontation before in many different guises (a lot of which involve Prof X and Magneto) -- which is why you need a James Roberts to give it the detail, intelligence and density of text to make it worthwhile. I'm sure I've said it before, but this level of writing sets the bar... it's not just phoning in some splash panels, it justifies the $3.99 at the top left of the cover.

It still seems a stretch that this is actually why Megs surrendered, and hopefully the setup will go somewhere... but if not, it's a solid standalone issue.
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zigzagger
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Post by zigzagger »

Yeah, I've seen this kind of loving attention to detail before. It's super, super chatty, it's got Impactor, Xaaron and all sorts of obscure references -- like a top-notch fanfic.

I really, really liked this. I'd say this is easily the best thing IDW has published since LSOTW, but that's a given looking at what else has come out these past couple years. Not being able to finish a TF comic in under two minutes is also a refreshing change.

Can't say this is enough to bring me back into the fold - so many times bitten, you know - but this does show promise.
Denyer wrote: We've seen this confrontation before in many different guises (a lot of which involve Prof X and Magneto) -- which is why you need a James Roberts to give it the detail, intelligence and density of text to make it worthwhile.
I'm not sure how the rest of y'all rated it, but I loved the revelation that Megatron and Optimus' first meeting was a modest and low-key one, rather than some grand battle as the former initially recalled. That whole page is just perfection.
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Skyquake87
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Post by Skyquake87 »

stuff like that , subtley, nuance, detail and expression and bloody hell, just some emotion remind you how starved Transformers comics have been of this kind of story telling.

Whilst the rest of the comics industry has rapidly developed in terms of storytelling prowess, Transformers has for too long felt like any run of the mill comic of the early 1990s, but without a big name artist to forgive the rather 'empty' content.
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Hennessy
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Transformers #23

Post by Hennessy »

Your all purpose Transformers #23 reaction and discussion thread.

- ziggy


---

5 Page preview

http://issuu.com/idwpublishing/docs/tra ... e=magazine
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

Jaw dropped. As with #22, fantastic.

If any of you have trouble reading the damn thing [my screen froze whenever I "clicked to read"], you can log in with your facebook account and download the PDF file.

Awesome issue. Funny how a 5 page preview [and issue 22 before it] can enrich Megatron Origins in such a way.
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Red Dave Prime
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Post by Red Dave Prime »

DAMNIT FORBIDDEN PLANET!!! WHERE'S MY ISSUE 22???

Ahem, sorry bout that...
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Paul053
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Post by Paul053 »

Ah, don't watch the preview, don't watch the preview, don't watch the preview............... When is #23 coming out? Oh, the 10th.

PS. Please post this in comic thread.:swirly:
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Neuronutter
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Post by Neuronutter »

Wow! After the ups and downs of the last few years it finally feels like we have a great writer on the ongoing. This issue was fantastic! The writing was top notch, the art was miles above anything I've seen in ages and the all round experience was superb. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'll be looking forward to the next Roberts issue.

Not only that but we get a Roberts penned, Roche drawn series before too long. Can't wait!

Terome wrote:I'm not sure we've done anything to deserve this.
I think years of supporting some of the sub-standard sh*t IDW have produced (I'm looking at you AHM and Megatron: Origin, among others!) have earned us this!
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