Out Wednesday, June 18, 2008.

i'm actually impressed with how revelations has started. there was plenty of cyclonus, and the other parts of the story being thrown in fit fairly well. except nightbeat. that stuff was a little strangely placed imo. should've maybe been placed a little later in the book. and they set up nicely for the other 3 issues

Very well paced, but I hope Simon can maintain it for the next three. Seems like an awful lot of stuff is gonna happen in short order.

Who the heck was the tank-looking guy with Nova Prime's cronies? Stalker?

Mr Tank-Looking Guy is a new guy called Grindcore. And Revelations DEFINETELY keeps up the pace.

the brand new character named grindcore is what i read on the idw forums. personally, i think he kinda looks like signal flare from energon. and am i the only one not totally pleased with the face on HIGHLIGHT to view:
straxus? he shouldn't have a mouth

Nope, you're not alone. His only unique traits were his hammer and his face. The rest of him was a blue ball of generic with an orange tummy stripe.

Fantastic!

I really can't say enough about how things were done right here.

It felt like more happened in this single issue than the entire Infiltration and Escalation series combined. (Amazing what you can achieve when you're forced to condense things sometimes.)

Simon delivers the goods on every level here, producing a comic that is cinematic in scope and feel. Pacing, dialogue, casting. It's everything a TF fan wants in a TF comic. Action? Got it. Suspense? Got it. Kitchen sink? I'm sure it's in there somewhere.

Furman is weaving the threads together now into a single strand, and you get the feeling that, whereas before we were floating down the different tributaries of the Amazon, we've sailed into the main river itself. And people, we are about to go on the ride of a lifetime!

All the bigwigs are featured here, some we haven't seen until now. For the Autobots, we've got Prime, Magnus, Jetfire, Fortress Maximus, and Prowl. For the Cons, Nova Prime, Galavatron, Cyclonus(obviously), Thunderwing, Jhiaxus, and....Straxus! With old G1 character and G2 characters thrown into the mix, what's not to love, right?

Of all the subplots thus far, I have been most partial to the Dead Universe one, simply because I felt it held the most promise in giving us something we haven't seen before. After this issue, I'm anticipating it even more.

The only niggle I have with the issue is how horrendous Cyclonus looks. Not digging his appearance, particulary when he has looked so badass in previous comic incarnations.

But that's a small niggle, one that becomes negligible next to the incredible drama Furman is now unfolding before us.

Easily, the best of the -ion series, the first "A+" I've given since the Shockwave and Kup spotlights.

If Simon maintains this level of suspense and wraps it up in a strong fashion, then we might have the modern "Target 2006" on our hands here.

Heh, I was racking my brain trying to think of who he was, then I remembered mention of a new character. I felt better about not remembering an original character.


Cyclonus is an interesting take on him, craves order, fiercely patriotic, and by the first two pages obviously loves Cybertron and hates what happened to it. And he has a very odd, very interesting skull face, or maybe it's supposed to look "shriveled"? This issue actually reminded me about classics Cyclonus, who I'm looking forward to more now, after reading this, without even seeing the toy.

Glad to see it picked up soon after Escalation, Sideswipe is still Sideswipe, worried about Sunstreaker and upset that they're not going to Earth. Hound still has to put up with him. Poor Hound or poor Sideswipe?

I wonder why the page focused on Birdbrain's face?

Nightbeat contacts Hardhead, who the next issue will focus on, guess we'll be getting more of them and Gorlam Prime. Since more Autobots are contacting each other, I wonder where Arcee will wind up.

When Prowl was listing what they did to the Decepticon survivor, why wasn't interrogate on the list? It seemed like it would naturally be on there to me.

I've been wondering what they were going to do with Thunderwing since, well spotlight Galvatron, him being a watchdog was not what I expected. I like that Cyclonus was reluctant to summon him, since he was the reason Cybertron is like the way it is.

I know nothing about Straxus so I wiki'd him, his alt-mode is very similar to Galvatrons.

Nov-Nemesis Prime looks so regal on the last page, I just love how his wings look like a cape and his Big Convoy style horns. Interesting that everyone else has a weapon viable except him, of course that's why TF have sub-space, we don't always see Optimus' rifle.

As long as it's not a ridiculously priced exclusive, I would buy a toy of Nova/Nemesis Prime without a second thought.

(wow I wanted to make my post short)

Yup, I was impressed with how Simon made the issue decidedly about Cyclonus (And rendered him a sympathetic character with an arc of development--as in, finally giving in to the bubbling turmoil that he was doing a more than slightly poor job struggling to hold down, as all that mayhem he unleashed evinced... ) and yet successfully kept all those other irons in the fire. Felt like it was building progressively from one event to the next, but not really rushed. Dunno...I like a comic where a lot is going on in each issue on different fronts, which is why I liked how Hot Rod and Wheeljack's storyline was interspersed throughout Devastation, instead of being clustered in one place. Gives things an epic feel, and it worked here too.)

Keep in mind, I'm easily affected, but I felt for Cyc, with his endeavors to work out where he fits into Nova's designs, and his justifiable anger at what was done to Cybertron. It was good to keep an element of pride or nobility to him, but also cynicism, in line somewhat with how he wasn't pure evil in the cartoon, and seemed pretty sarcastic at times.

This issue really felt as if it was about Sideswipe, too; as with Sunstreaker in the time he's had to be characterized (Go back to Infiltration, but especially Escalation...he's a royal jerk. Yet, it was nice to see that he too could be concerned with his clone bodies being used to harm others...anyhoo, I digress), I got a grasp of his character, and he came off as a likable hothead/rebel. I particularly enjoyed how, near the end of the issue, his narrative and Cyclonus's intersected, as well, with Sideswipe's statement of personality being the trigger for Cyclonus to finally admit what had been clear all issue, that he really isn't neat and ordered mentally or emotionally. The interplay between 'Swipe and Hound was a lot of fun as well. Hound the martinet. A different turn for him, but one I don't particularly mind, since this is a new universe and he and Sideswipe work off each other well. Plus, plenty of time for him to go to Earth and "lighten up" a bit later if need be.

The facepalm moment was lovely....

Oh, and debate over her origin story aside (I thought it was pretty cool, but then, not big on sexualized Transformers, like Furman, so I enjoyed his rather twisted way of working it in there. Not to open that can of worms again...just mentioning as an aside.), I'm enjoying the presence of a truly unethical and downright nasty Autobot in Arcee. Got a real morbid chuckle out of the description of what she did to that 'Con, and Jetfire and Max's look. I think what I especially like is how calm she is in these situations, not screaming at the guy, but just speaking in clear sentences. Makes it spookier than if she were furious all the time. The way her face is designed is just so nicely creepy, too.



Dude was already strung up, tortured, beheaded, and presumably dead when Prowl and co. got there. He was only a "survivor" in that he managed to live through his ship crashing. Arcee's a twisted sister...

Does anyone know if 25th Cyclonus looks anything like Spotlight: Cyclonus? Universe Prowl looks a fair bit like IDW Prowl, and I'm hoping that they produce more Universe/25th toys with similar resemblances.

As for the comic, my shop didn't get it, so I'll have to have them order it or get it somewhere else.

from the one image shown at botcon, and what i can remember, you'd be better off hoping for just the G1 homage he is, not an IDW reference.

I thought it was something else which Cyclonus was reluctant to activate. He had to place his hand on the pannel to activate it, but in the end he didn't, but then later, he activated Thunderwing remotely.

And I dig this new look for Cyclonus. Kind of Bad-assed.

The only thing I really liked in this issue was Sideswipe.

I just can't muster much enthusiasm for the looming threat of Unicron the Cybertronian Emprie the Swarm the Liege Maximo Shokaract Unicron again the Dead Universe and its Expansion.

I liked the IDW-verse better when it was a new take on the Autobot/Decepticon war, without Furman's obligatory Even Greater Threat To Everything.

while i was initially put off by Cyclonus' current face design, it grew on me and i grew to really like this issue as well.

i thought there wasn't enough Cyclonus, myself, although that's more due to my individual desire to really see an all-him story as opposed to a main-story-events-seen-through-his eyes story. he was actually in a lot of the action, although most of that was him firing on the Ark and debating it inwardly.

i did love how everything came together here, though, and while i would have wanted to see more from Nova- Nemesis Prime and company already, i understand that everything ELSE has to be addressed as well... Nightbeat's Gorlam Prime experience, Sideswipe and Hound's mission and tension [i LOVED Sideswipe when he was in action, btw -- "atta boy!"], Arcee's bot-hunt for Jhiaxus [and Fort Max/Jetfire's accompanying unease at their knowledge of the truth behind her escape...], what they needed with Thunderwing...

On a side note, for those of you interested in Su's redesign of Cyclonus, you can check out the following link form this devart account:

http://ej-su.deviantart.com/art/Cyclonus-h...oncept-85706614

Thank you.


M "Apocalypse Yawn" Sipher

I have to agree, although overall the issue did leave me "meh". I'm just, well, bored of IDW now it's moved onto depressingly familiar territory of The End of Everything, Seriously. Probably why the character-driven Spotlights (Wheelie was suprisingly good) appeal to me a whole lot more.

Also, I still wish Furman would get someone else to write his dialogue.

I noticed the repeat use of the phrase "well and truly". Also I really really want Fort Max as a toy. Infact, Im in motion that 90% of IDW be uses as designs for toys somehow.

Arcee is horrible. Furman, if you don't want wimmens in your Transformers, don't put em in. But enough with the torture! Ever since Prime's Rib it's been horrible seeing you find excuses for them and giving them awful personalities.

I'm also not a fan of the Greater Threat To Everything. Cyclonus was my first TF and the issue came out on my birthday so I was hoping this'd be a character-centric Spotlight without Cyclonus' predictable ties to the Dead Universe, but it was not to be...
I did like the design EJ gave him, though.

And I gotta ask, why Grindcore? Wouldn't Scourge have done the trick?

Grindcore is probably one of Furman's signature "hi!! ok i gotta die now!!" characters. But who knows why really. He maybe even cool.

>_< How did I not make the connection that was what Prowl was talking about.


(Also I forgot to reply to that until now. )

Scourge is too awesome to be killed by Robo-Beatrix

I would rather have had a character with a toy still. I get a kick out of seeing recognisable cameos even of obscure characters/toys. Even Straxus and Jhiaxus were fun additions. This Grindcore guy means nothing to me. But then neither did Nova/Nemesis Prime at first but he made a name for himself.

Good issue.

Was Deathsaurus in that group picture?

The guy on the far left seems very Deszaras like.

(To put the hardcore at ease, I used BOTH names in the post)

No, that's Straxus.

I don't think I could agree with this less.


M "If A Character's Role Is Blatantly To Be A Fatality And Nothing Else... Go Ahead And Make Someone Up Rather Than Throwing In A C~D-Lister You Could Have Shine Elsewhere" Sipher

I'm waiting for the club remold of e-rodimus as Nemesis/Nova Prime ...with trailer of corse so you can get him in SUPER MODE... the designs in the back of the Prime Spotlight are dead-on for a remold of Rodimus

extensive... but it seems like a character with enough fan interest that they could give it a go... be like 200 a pop though...

i look at him and think chop with wingzero wings and big convoy head

I cared a whole lot more about Leadfoot despite his only function being in the comic is to die because he had a toy than I did Gizmo and whoever they were in Hot Rod's Spotlight. Those deaths in Hot Rod's Spotlight just barely warranted a shrug and a "meh" from me. Whereas I was very interested in seeing Leadfoot's brief cameo.

I understand that out of the hundreds of G1 and G2 characters with toys that we won't ever see most of them. Many will get completely overlooked normally - I could name a great deal of toys who have never appeared in any fiction and probably never will (not too familar with the Japanese G1/G2 manga) although when guys like Bulletbike get a story, anyone can. So when guys like Leadfoot appear again after a long long absence even if if its just to die, I'm happy. And when made-up guys like Gizmo apopear, I consider them to take up a character slot of someone who wouldn't appear in the comic otherwise. And if all the known characters survive and only made-up non-entities die then death becomes meaningless.

In short, I like my hi-then-die characters to be recognisable even if they are really obscure.

The downside to Furman creating a new character on short notice is that, when in a group with toy characters, well... you know who's going to kick the bucket before anything even happens. I'm betting Grindcore'll be viciously killed within three issues.

...

Yeah, that seems a bit too extensive for a remold. That's creating an entire new mold for the trailer, not just modifying certain parts. I could see Nova Prime without super mode, but there's no way they'd be able to do the trailer

I thought this issue was very good, for what it was. But as good as it is, it can't shake the overall problem, which is what Kil listed here. We finally got an interesting take on the Autobot/Decepticon war that was largely wiped away within 10 or so issues. And the fact that it looks like this is all going to get wrapped up in four issues...well, that's not enough to do an apocalypse justice. The best way to do it, ironically enough, is how it was done the first time, in the original Marvel G1 comic - after a long, unrelated story, and then with time to build the threat up. Here we've gotten nothing except for Galvatron and Cyclonus showing up and blasting a few people and running away. Hell, Thunderwing in Stormbringer was more interesting, because at least he tied into the backstory with destroying Cybertron. Nova Prime and his Expansion just doesn't cut it... especially when it looks like he's gonna start with five guys. The G2 Cybertronian Empire did a better job in looking like an actual empire.

That said, I did like Cyclonus, and the take on him as a sort of samurai-with-beserker-heart worked. I really hope that he (and the other Dead Universe guys) get a chance to survive this because four issues isn't enough. And what're the odds on "Grindcore" surviving Revelation? 10 to 1? 20 to 1? 500 to 1?

I'd like to see him given a Spotlight issue and fleshed out, myself.
In any case, after these four issues of space epic, it's back to more Earth stuff ala Infiltration through Devastation, with Max Dinos and All Hail Megatron, so it's not too big a digression from the standard Autobot/Decepticon conflict. HIGHLIGHT to view:
Spotlight Doubledealer is supposed to involve him meeting up with Hot Rod on Earth, and Sideswipe is going to meet Sunstreaker in his Spotlight issue, so it's not as if Earth is out of the picture for all four Revelation issues, anyhow.

Besides, I like the idea of the Autobots being underdogs when things on Earth pick up again...if anything, disguise will become more important than ever now that A. Their existence is public knowledge and B. Transformers are known by the humans to be hostile, and they don't seem to discriminate.

I could have had issues with this saga if this issue hadn't been so character-driven. What was missing from the "epic" attempt that was The Ascending was characters I could care about. I'm fine with world-shattering stuff as long as the characters are given, well, character, and not just treated as chess pieces.

(This has become more evident to me on rereads!) Whereas with this, I already like the cast that's been established (Even moreso after rereading all of the trades within several days) and glommed onto new guy Cyclonus and semi-new guy Sideswipe based on how they were written.

I really would prefer that established characters who are used - there's so many blank slates already clogging the mythos. Having a guy show up at least gives them SOME sort of history. And it's not like Transformers has ever been able strictly linear storytelling - there's still almost infinite room for the characters to be used in the past - or resurrected.

I felt this was a pretty solid issue - and I appreciate that it quickly gave Cyclonus characterization that is both strong and consistent with his identity in the past - but I don't really feel like Cyclonus had any important role in the story beyond doing things so he could be introduced - but as this was the first issue, I'll give him a tiny break.

I really should pick up the Nightbeat Spotlight.

I didn't see this before:

http://forum.idwpublishing.com/viewtopic.php?t=4140

Friggin' awesome!

Is Road Rocket dead? He takes the full force of Cyclonus' missile blasts and we don't see any more of him in the issue after that.

I think he made a single panel cameo in vehicle mode during Hardhead's Spotlight.

Yup, Road Rocket is still alive. He's fighting Thunderwing in SL: Hardhead.

So, he's about to be dead anyway, LOL.