Robots in Disguise Annual 2012, OUT 09/26/12 SPOILERS Options

[MrBlud]

Please review the issue in this thread.

This post has been edited by MrBlud: Sep 26 2012, 07:43 AM

[Bass X0]

So awesome.

(IMG:http://imageshack.us/a/img69/7029/51591678.jpg)

[ZacWilliam1]

I can't review this annual without typing a post that would take me the rest of the day.

The Retro art and storytelling were AMAZING. They did an absolutely perfect job of channeling early 80s Frank Springer. Just Wow. This is what I wish ReG1 felt like. Not to judge that book, this was just such a pure hit rush of awesome nostalgia on every page of the retro story it was like the early G1 Marvel book living again!

And the story was good too! I'm a bit sad about the Metrotitan being taken off the table this quick, (they could have done so much with him) but what he did/set in motion before going was a real wow moment and all the filling in the blanks was pretty shocking and interesting. And we finally get inside Metalhawk's head far enough to judge his intentions.

This was the first issue of RiD that really felt just as good as MtMtE to me. I mean I've enjoyed RiD ok, but this one was honestly great and a real treat. Hope the regular book keeps that momentum going.


-ZacWilliam, two spectacular stories in one day. Wow. It's hard to stop smiling. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-hotrod.gif)

This post has been edited by ZacWilliam1: Sep 26 2012, 09:39 AM

[Master Fwiffo]

Best line: "That's .6 Brainstorms?!" "Do you KNOW what Brainstorm does?"

I have to admit, I actually yelled "WHAT" at the Big Revelation. Each issue of RiD may be harder to look forward to than it's big brother MTMTE, but it's story and direction are just incredible. I cannot wait to see where they are going with this.

And the G1 Homages were just incredible.

[ZacWilliam1]

I forgot to mention! In the Retro pages... The roll call page... Where everyone gives their name and states something about their character in one big intro info dump. That was THE MOST Marvel Comics TF page EVER.

-ZacWilliam, I was smiling sooooo hard.

[Chris McFeely]

I think this was actually better than the MTMTE annual.

[Primer Prime]

I think this was actually better than the MTMTE annual.

Sure the art was, but I was a bit disappointed by how little actually happened. The MTMTE annual, however, accomplished a LOT in terms of ongoing character threads as well as moving the overall plot forward. And unlike the MTMTE annual, it felt like this was a VERY quick read. Which is probably due to more splash panels and less dialogue. And by the end of the issue it's like everyone completely forgot about Ironhide and co lost in the wilderness. I was really hoping that would get resolved in the annual. *sigh* I was also disappointed that Ore didn't show up, but I suppose that was a bit much to hope for. Guess he's REALLY dead now.

[MrBlud]

An annual would be a terrible place to wrap up stories from the ongoing.

I *really* enjoyed this. Perhaps even more then MTMTE (and that was incredible)

The art here was so amazing.

[Suspsy]

I like Starscream as a politician. I hope that goes on for awhile longer.

I also despise Metalhawk more and more.

[Primer Prime]

I like Starscream as a politician. I hope that goes on for awhile longer.

I also despise Metalhawk more and more.

Really? I've felt like he's become considerably less of a jerk over the course of the series. Especially in this issue.

[Rosicrucian]

I'm loving that Barber (and Roberts in his own title) keep going back on the unused or under-utilized things from prior IDW titles and tying them together more tightly into something rich and cohesive.

Also, damn Barber for reminding me I really want a Nova Prime toy.

[StarScreamZX]

Well you really can't go wrong with an issue's worth of Guido G1 art - Glorious!

I've been waiting patiently for RiD to finally deliver that story that really moves the series forwards. Though I'm still not 100% wowed by the writing here, it did feel like RiD finally made that step up to something better. Here's hoping the ongoing keeps the momentum going and this series may start to fulfill its potential.

[Fenix Twilight]

Just checking, both Annuals will be in the Trades yes? Cause I want to wait for them, but if there's a chance of missing these.

But I read it in my comic store and the parts with Nova Prime are something I've wanted since Spotlight Optimus Prime, part of me wishes it was it's own issue with none of the current story, but I know it's tied into with the Metrotitans.



Alright I talked myself into buying it while typing my post, I'll but the Annuals and the Trades. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-waspy.gif)

[Cattleprod]

I'm pretty sure James Roberts said the MTMTE annual would be in the Shadowplay TPB, so I'd assume the RID annual would be in its own third volume as well.

I'm hopeful for more flashbacks, Shockwave and Arcee are both in RID's present day cast and have ties to Jhiaxus in that era, so their absence seemed conspicuous.

[BB Shockwave]

The Marvel-like pages were GLORIOUS! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif) I especially loved the first page that gave a twist to the Marvel #1, and the page where every member of Nova's gang gives loooong convoluted introductions (mentioning their own names, of course) to Omega. However, the transition of the story from whimsically old-school to Nova suddenly going all "Mwhahahahaaa!!! I am EEEEVIL!" was a bit jarring. And I would have preferred if Jhiaxus and Galvatron looked more... blocky to fit with the style. But still, Guido did wondrously, and I often felt like the "Marvel" pages were written by not by Barber, but Roberts, especially with all the mentions of the Guiding Hand and other plot points he brought up. It's nicely explained why the Metrotitan was under "new" Crystal City, too.

Whatever happened to Ore, though?

The present day story was as pretentious as RID usually is. "What do you get when you cross Prowl with 'no witnesses'?" Sigh... Metalhawk's big character evolution (which I frankly, fail to see, he remains so pretentiously holier-then-thou) was so hammered into us it hurt. And that's all the Metrotitan accomplish? Make Starscream the new Messiah, or what? Huh? Well... this comic is going in a more and more weird direction every issue.

At least we got to see some FoC bodies (Blast Off, Brawl), and characters I haven't seen in IDW yet (Apeface! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif) )

And am I probably the only one unhappy with Shockwave being made into Jhiaxus' apprentice? Because from what we have seen so far, Shocky isn't the type of "mad" scientist who just does things "because he can". Ore 13 was, especially, a loooong experiment he carefully planned and implemented perfectly over the course of tens of thousands of years. If anyone, I'd rather see Thunderwing as someone who would be an apprentice to a carelessly experimenting madman like Jhiaxus ("It's not meant to be controlled", my arse...)

I like Starscream as a politician. I hope that goes on for awhile longer.

I also despise Metalhawk more and more.

Really? I've felt like he's become considerably less of a jerk over the course of the series. Especially in this issue.

The writer really wants us to like him, but whenever he interacts with others, it's always a verbal jab one after the other - even to people who do not deserve it. And he comes off as incredibly pretentious, judging everyone, Bot and Con, for their actions, while he himself... what has he done? Pretty much nothing.

He only comes off as "OK" in comparison to character the writer turned on their heads, like murderous Punisher-Prowl, NapoleonBee, crazy ranting old man Ironhide with his visions, and Sideswipe who has become just a cross thug.

Speaking of which... where is Jazz these days? He used to be a high-ranking Autobot after AHM... now I can't even recall seeing him in RID, and he is certainly not on the Lost Light.

This post has been edited by BB Shockwave: Sep 27 2012, 02:48 AM

[C16]

Jazz is in issue 5, sitting in the control room with Broadside pretty much doing nothing. WfC body, too.

[BB Shockwave]

Y'know, that's the problem with too many "big names" around - you need to take them out of the picture somehow, as you cannot just shove them in a corner and have the reader believe they are doing nothing at all (much like Shockwave has been just being cryptic/smug in RID up until now). Roberts have used all the "big names" in the main cast, and has the other known characters make a short role here and there (Trailbreaker, Xaaron) to make sure we know they are there.
The only one being conspicously absent is Sunstreaker, but I can accept him wanting to just be left alone and ignored after what he has gone through. But with Jazz in RID, JLU comes to mind where Grodd has broken Luthor out of prison to recruit him simply because he is a too important player to be left outside the equation.

I think this was actually better than the MTMTE annual.

Sure the art was, but I was a bit disappointed by how little actually happened. The MTMTE annual, however, accomplished a LOT in terms of ongoing character threads as well as moving the overall plot forward. And unlike the MTMTE annual, it felt like this was a VERY quick read. Which is probably due to more splash panels and less dialogue. And by the end of the issue it's like everyone completely forgot about Ironhide and co lost in the wilderness. I was really hoping that would get resolved in the annual. *sigh* I was also disappointed that Ore didn't show up, but I suppose that was a bit much to hope for. Guess he's REALLY dead now.

With Roberst, you can never say "REALLY". And I fully expect Shock and Ore to show up in the current flashback episodes... Sonic and Boom already did! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif)

On that note, I really want to see "Prowl 2"s Predabot alt mode. "Likes a hug?" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-fire.gif)

This post has been edited by BB Shockwave: Sep 27 2012, 03:27 AM

[Cyoti]

And am I probably the only one unhappy with Shockwave being made into Jhiaxus' apprentice? Because from what we have seen so far, Shocky isn't the type of "mad" scientist who just does things "because he can". Ore 13 was, especially, a loooong experiment he carefully planned and implemented perfectly over the course of tens of thousands of years. If anyone, I'd rather see Thunderwing as someone who would be an apprentice to a carelessly experimenting madman like Jhiaxus ("It's not meant to be controlled", my arse...)

Actually Shockwave being Jhiaxus's student seems to be from Furman's tenure at the main tf comic and honestly I think it's brilliant idea to try and connect all these mad scientists and their experiments including Bludgeon and Thunderwing's since it serves as a counterpoint to what the characters in RiD and MTMTE are doing.

I do agree with you on Barber's characterization, a lot of the characters just seems off. The main issue seems to be that he has good ideas and a direction where to go, but his ability to build the characters and story to that direction isn't there.

[Magnusblitz]

This really felt like two completely separate stories united only by the tenuous connection of Omega Supreme, so I'll handle them separate.

Enough cannot be said about the flashback art - we saw Guido could do it in the MTMTE Annual, but it was even stronger here. And hats off to Barber for setting the stage for the Transformers #1 homage. I liked the panel Bass posted, but my favorite was the roll call scene. Great job.

Apparently there was a war even before the Autobot/Decepticon conflict, and it ended sparking Nova's Golden Age? Interesting. Probably not the same conflict that shattered the Guiding Hand, otherwise Nova and company would be REALLY old...

However, overall I didn't like it as much as the MTMTE flashback. Mainly because I'm not sure if we're supposed to take it as "what really happened" or myth. It's much closer in time than Cyclonus' story (which is myth even to him), whereas the events in this book happened around people who are still alive and reliable narrators (Cyclonus, Omega Supreme, Tailgate). Also, while I like flashbacks, I'm not a fan of revisiting points that were already covered... the whole Monstructor/Omega scene seems a bit awkward, even though it's supposed to be written in that 80s style, just felt weird. Or it could just be Barber's style, which I've always found a bit obtuse. But having Nova show up with his new toy then leaving to catch his 10 o'clock Ark ride didn't mesh for me.

As for the other half of the story in present-day... eh. It's similar to the rest of RiD so far in that not much happens, aside from the "reveal". I've been thinking recently that the best move this book could make was have Starscream elected leader, so that's a welcome move. The execution is a bit weird... a Metrotitan wakes up, says "Starscream is the conqueror" and everyone (or the Cons and NAILs at least) hails Starscream like a hero? Okay. Would've rather he actually did something...

Sideswipe's "corpse" comment was funny, but at the same time, somewhat chilling. No wonder no one likes the Autobots between him and Prowl.

This post has been edited by Magnusblitz: Sep 27 2012, 11:56 AM

[Database]

As for the other half of the story in present-day... eh. It's similar to the rest of RiD so far in that not much happens, aside from the "reveal". I've been thinking recently that the best move this book could make was have Starscream elected leader, so that's a welcome move. The execution is a bit weird... a Metrotitan wakes up, says "Starscream is the conqueror" and everyone (or the Cons and NAILs at least) hails Starscream like a hero? Okay. Would've rather he actually did something...

I think right now they don't question it, because having a Metrotitan proclaim "You are the one that will unite us all! I traveled all this way just to see you once in person." is kinda like the equal of an Angel coming to earth and proclaiming the same thing of one of out political candidates. A fairly religious figure basically saying this guy is the new chosen one? Yeah, not many are going to question it, unless they question religion already. Starscream WILL still have to do something, but now he's got strong support for his campaign thanks to the closest thing they have to a religious figure throwing his vote behind him.