Out Wednesday May 20, 2009.

Yes, I know mignash has a topic going on about the TPB picked up from Target. This one is for full-on review/critique of the first issue ONLY. As topic description says, reader's discretion and spoiler tags are highly appreciated.

Well, I was a bit disappointed that "Demolishor" wasn't much bigger than Optimus. I wonder if maybe this first issue especially was from EARLY drafts and they changed it a lot to the final version.

From what I can get from Simon's entry, it's possible he was working from one of the mid-revisions.

Sounds about right. They had the same problem with the last comic book adaption. It had things like Barricade's death and other things that were changed at the last minute.

I was happy to see the island of Diego Garcia for the NEST headquarters, just as we read in Veiled Threat.

How does Ravage and Scalpel tie in, if at all, with the Crab Bot and shadowy figure from Veiled Threat? Same guys? Completely different Decepticons faction visit?

Can we talk about the varant cover here?

Becase as someone that worked in a comic book store I find it highy amuseing to see the conventanly and stratgic placement of the smoke for this cover and what appears to be black leggings over short shorts the preview pic on the home page is to small to clear that up its like Transfans cant see what a woman looks like

Its just something I see all the time in a comicbook store and everytime I see it I just have to laugh

I'm not sure what version of the script was used, but art-wise it's all based off concept art and storyboard ideas, and early character models, so there are going to be quite a few inaccuracies. I seem to recall that outside of the known TF's, most of the new guys weren't named in the script (Sideways and Sideswipe certainly weren't). We were virtually done with issue 4 when the first Superbowl trailer was about to hit, and I watched it thinking "That's different.. that bit's different... I coloured that bit wrong..." etc etc. Ah well.

Can you answer a question? According to the script you used Demolishor and Scavenger are two completely different robots right? They just look alike?

As far as I remember, none of the Constructicons had names in the scripts, apart from Devastator himself. I was quite surprised when I saw Trailer 2, Bumblebee fighting a red Constructicon in the desert... concept art (at least, what I saw) indicated he was yellow, which is how I coloured him... whoops.

Yep, there is some concern about that because it looks like it should be Rampage who is fighting Bumblebee, but the commercial colored him red, and the toy is yellow/orangeish.

Did the script mention if the helicopter is Blackout or Grindor? He is never mentioned by name in the comic either.

Comic names the copter as Blackout.

Weird, I heard the novel went the other way - calong him Grindor and making him a new character. Is there ANY explanation as to why he is suddenly alive? Somehow you need the Allspark to fix Megatron, but Blackout just had a loose wire and came back online easily?

the trade was at Hastings today I am going to wait picking it up till closer to the movie I would spoil myself silly if I did pick it up

1. We don't know how many things in the comic are correct to the movie.

2. Maybe the movie is spoiling the comic.

Okay, speaking as someone who has read the novelization...

HIGHLIGHT to view:
Only Megatron was resurrected, same as the comic adaptation, but one of the Constructicons was torn apart for parts in order to get him in full working order rather than just a patch job from Scalpel. The new helicopter 'Con, Grindor, is not Blackout...and isn't even named.

Yeah, I think that's the other alternative. Either Blackout is fixed, or he had an identical cousin.

I did not enjoy this comic.

To be honest that's probably because it has many problems that are inherent with movie tie-ins, and no fault to Furman and whoever's on art duties who are probably doing the best they can in that respect..

But it must be said...the dialogue was not good.

Yeah, both the dialogue and the art were kinda painful.
I'm fairly easy to please, so I can often overlook one if the other is particularly strong. I was satisfied with neither. I think I'll keep myself unspoiled and steer clear.

Did you notice that there is a part where multiple Decepticons arrive on Earth. The Autobots split up with Optimus and Bumblebee being one team, which we follow, and the rest are not really seen again for a long time. I'm hoping that with the film this is where some of the other characters get some screen time, running off on their own missions.

Nor did I, but then again I hated the first movie adaption as well so I pretty much expected to hate this one also.