Energon Universe - ongoing Transformers and G.I. Joe comics from Skybound

[Haywire]

Also, and this is unrelated to my point, but wasn't Cobra Commander origianlly a used car salesman in the comics or something?

Yes, Marvel comics Cobra Commander started out as a used-car salesman who became disillusioned with life and started Cobra as a response. Perfectly logical reaction, really. (There were a lot of extenuating circumstances, like a fatal car accident involving a relative

Spoiler

(and also Snake-Eyes' family, I think? Might be mixing that up a bit, but I think I remember it was CCs brother that crashed into Snake-Eyes parents and twin sister?)

and an IRS audit, stuff just really piled up and broke him down until he became Cobra Commander.)

 

[DefaultOption]

Spoiler

(and also Snake-Eyes' family, I think? Might be mixing that up a bit, but I think I remember it was CCs brother that crashed into Snake-Eyes parents and twin sister?)

You are correct, that's what happened.

 

[G.B.Blackrock]

I love how Bumblebee is "killed" and so we suddenly get all this righteous indignation that this is some trashy edgelord comic. Meanwhile, by issue #5 the old Marvel comic had killed every Autobot but two, hung them all up from the ceiling in various stages of decapitation/dismemberment, and left one of the "survivors" as a captive, disembodied head...

I've been trying to stay out of these discussions (it definitely didn't go well when I complained about the issue on another board), but my own complaint had nothing to do with robot deaths....

 

[Haywire]

For what it's worth,

Spoiler

unless the humans in the Energon universe have an exceptional invulnerability, I think it's safe to say that we've seen the first human death at the end of issue 1, and Starscream sure seemed to get a lot of sadistic glee out of it. If that becomes the norm for these books, then it is not unreasonable cause for some to be concerned. I'm personally not a fan of stories where people just get offed randomly and callously.

As far as Transformer deaths go, traditionally across most media Cybertronians are pretty hard to kill, and even when they're 'dead' tend to come back when the story and/or new toys on the shelf demand. We've yet to see how hard they are to kill in the Energon universe, but my guess would lean towards 'pretty difficult'. Time will tell how permanent these early 'deaths' really are.

 

[Lobjob]

40 years in I just want good stories. Happy stories. Brutal stories. As long as they make sense and are compelling, I can work with that.

I also would rather have a lot happening in each issue. I grow weary of decompressed tales that read fast in collections.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Decompression ruined comics forever.

 

[Tuxedo Prime]

Decompression ruined comics forever.

It really depends on the title and what it's setting out to do. However, the accompanying emphasis on 6-issue-collecting trade paperbacks so we can sell comics in Actual Bookstores again and not just the direct market certainly didn't help matters, because people who want a complete story would simply wait for the collected version, depressing post-issue-1 sales further....

 

[Magnusblitz]

TF #2 came out today. Another solid issue, though is sort of a breather to explain things and set some pieces up. Still plenty of good stuff here, some good backstory, some character moments, and another good fight scene. DWJ absolutely nails Cullen's Prime voice, really easy to hear it in his dialogue.

It's pretty clear that Earth life's fragility compared to the Cybertronians is going to be a recurring theme, so for those put off by that in the first issue, can probably stay away. It's clearly meant to have an emotional impact and isn't just supposed to be BUCKETS OF BLOOD COOL, but, still.

Synopsis:

Spoiler

Optimus is taking in the beauty of Earth, and accidentally crushes a deer. He muses with Spike about how fragile Earth life is compared to the hard metal world he's from. He then explains their backstory (200 years of war, Autobots left in the Ark, Decepticons attacked and they crashed. Megatron is specifically mentioned here...) Cliffjumper announces he's alive and well, but Ratchet explains they lack the energon to rebuild anyone else. Optimus hints at using the Matrix (not specifically named) and Ratchet tells him they'd risk losing Optimus.

Sparkplug is reporting the attack to police officers, but they disbelieve him until the Decepticons land from the sky. Soundwave begins using a device to convert power into energon. A nearby fighter jet is diverted to investigate, and Starscream transforms to attack them. After an aerial dogfight, Starscream transforms to robot mode to punch the jet out of the sky. The two occupants eject, and Starscream crushes the pilot, but the passenger is able to activate a jetpack, shoots Starscream in the face, and escapes, with the last panel revealing the tag "Duke" on his uniform.

The jet crashes at the power plant, and Optimus and Spike drive off to confront the Decepticons, while Carly gets in her van and heads home, followed by Laserbeak. Sparkplug beats her there. Carly comes home, looking for her dad, only to find Sparkplug decked out in his old military arsenal, and he tells Carly that the Decepticons killed her dad, Davey...

 

[Shadewing]

I really like the Prime and Spike scene at the start of this issue, it gives us some nice characterization for Prime and we get the back story for those that were bitching about that last issue. It's almost like they should give an ongoing narrative time. We also get a hint that Prowl will probably be in this series at some point, despite not being one of the main five Autobots we know about, with the police cars for this town all being his alt mode.

I remain fine with with the amount of death in this series so far, its not extreme and make sense. This isn't an 80's or 90's show; no "Oh they're going to be okay, I can see their parachutes" or attacking the city on a Sunday because no one is at work. There's a simple level of realism with their being human causalities, more so that Srarscream is the one to really take pleasure in it.

 

[LordGigaIce]

I enjoyed it. The scene with Prime and Spike really did a lot for the characters of both.
I also dig how this comic establishes that the War is only two hundred years old. Long enough to convey that these machines are longer lived and more durable than us but also not so long that timescales of everything is wonky.

We're also getting some unique Matrix lore

 

[Swerve]

I loved a lot of things about the IDW run, but their strength was taking obscure characters and developing them. They never really did a good job telling Optimus Prime stories. Sky bound really seems to portray Optimus with the compassion and mobility the character should have. Still not happy with what they did to Bumblebee as he has always been my favorite character. As someone stated above, I can now see the Decepticon violence is not just for shock value, but definitely serves a purpose in the narrative and helps us see the Autobots as truly the good guys. This black and white take is honestly refreshing.

 

[Johnny Here]

Of course the POV is Spike (with Carly)! The entirety of the issue follows Spike dealing with his dad, discussing his future with Carly, stumbling across the Ark, witnessing the revival of the Transformers and deciding to help out the clearly-less-homicidal robot, and then guiding the Autobots to a place they can lay low and regroup.

I love how Bumblebee is "killed" and so we suddenly get all this righteous indignation that this is some trashy edgelord comic. Meanwhile, by issue #5 the old Marvel comic had killed every Autobot but two, hung them all up from the ceiling in various stages of decapitation/dismemberment, and left one of the "survivors" as a captive, disembodied head...

Yeah, it's very much edgelordish.

I read the comments section of a certain barely legal comics site and everyone loved it, because it didn't have "politics".

Sad that a lot of people don't want comics to do anything but punch, shoot, and look cool.

I don't plan on keeping up with this.

I like Void Rivals

 

[Johnny Here]

I loved a lot of things about the IDW run, but their strength was taking obscure characters and developing them. They never really did a good job telling Optimus Prime stories. Sky bound really seems to portray Optimus with the compassion and mobility the character should have. Still not happy with what they did to Bumblebee as he has always been my favorite character. As someone stated above, I can now see the Decepticon violence is not just for shock value, but definitely serves a purpose in the narrative and helps us see the Autobots as truly the good guys. This black and white take is honestly refreshing.

This is a good point.

I think it's people's reactions to it thats bothering me.

And the fact that it's happening so often and the comic is like LOOK, LOOk!

 

[LordGigaIce]

Yeah, it's very much edgelordish.

No, it's not. Not even compared to other Transformers titles.

I read the comments section of a certain barely legal comics site and everyone loved it, because it didn't have "politics".

Look man, IDW burned me out in IRL politics by making every Autobot prior to Optimus a fascist, using the Decepticons as a Soviet Communism allegory, and James Roberts working out his issues with the state of British socialism via a reformed Megatron that basically just served as his mouthpiece.

I let politics dominate my life too much as is and I suppose IDW1's take was super interesting and fresh when I was in my 20s and the idea that a thing I liked as a kid could have IRL political allegories was mind blowing, but I'm 36 now. I've had enough. If I want to be depressed about politics I'll doomscroll Twitter thankyouverymuch. I'm looking for something else out of TF comics, and SB and DWJ's giving it to me.

Sad that a lot of people don't want comics to do anything but punch, shoot, and look cool.

My favourite parts of this issue were Optimus, Carly, Spike, and Cliffjumper talking in the woods.

Hardly an all action/nothing else ride, is it?

I think it's people's reactions to it thats bothering me.

If your main issue is that you're upset PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING IT WRONG then the problem's with you.

I loved a lot of things about the IDW run, but their strength was taking obscure characters and developing them. They never really did a good job telling Optimus Prime stories. Sky bound really seems to portray Optimus with the compassion and mobility the character should have. Still not happy with what they did to Bumblebee as he has always been my favorite character. As someone stated above, I can now see the Decepticon violence is not just for shock value, but definitely serves a purpose in the narrative and helps us see the Autobots as truly the good guys. This black and white take is honestly refreshing.

IDW never figured out what they wanted Optimus to be. The entire continuity was making a very black and white concept ( Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons! ) very grey. Which I loved until I didn't.

But big picture Optimus isn't a grey character. He's always the moral centre of the cast. Prime being a hero, and an empathetic leader, is central to the story. IDW's various creative teams all tried their own takes on it, and it seems what Barber and Roberts ended on (since they got to land the plane, and their run is probably the most synonymous with the continuity) was that he was basically a good guy but haunted by the legacy of corrupt Primes. He was an atheist who resisted religion despite claiming a title that was religious in nature, and disliked the blind loyalty some had towards him because of that title while also cynically using it to advance what he saw as the greater good.

None of this is bad, mind you. Divorce it from Optimus Prime, hell from Transformers in general, and you have the makings of a good reluctant protagonist.

But as Optimus Prime... it was lacking? And it was hard to figure out why it never really clicked like a lot of other characters IDW wrote did, but then when compared to this take it's like night and day.
DWJ gets why Optimus Prime is Optimus Prime and why that matters. He's compassionate and empathetic and if even a simple animal is hurt on his account because he didn't think something through he will feel bad about it. This is the guy who sees life and earnestly believes "freedom is the right of all sentient beings," no matter what.

 

[Shadewing]

Yeah, if the Prime scene here doesn't convince you that this series is trying to make a point with how it handles death and how characters react; then I don't think anything is gonna help you. I love how Prime completely unaware accidently kills a deer while admiring Earth; and then spends the next several pages cradling its dead body and mourning about cuasing its death and how fragile things are on this world while starting to bond with Spike. That is peak G1 Optimus Prime right there. The first half of this issue is basically establishing Prime and Spike's convictions and sharing a moment over the concept of family and what its like to lose members of that family.

I don't generally have much issue with how Optimus gets written elsewhere, but this completely nails who Optimus Prime is/should be and why he's the kinda character that made such an impression on kids 40 years ago. It really does show that yes, all life really is important to him.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

You can write a shades of grey universe like IDW1 attempted (poorly, imo), but that should stop with Optimus Prime. He is different. Instead of becoming jaded, the war makes him care that much more about the fragility of life. It's been his thing since the very first cartoon episode, where he was the only one who seemed to care when humans were in danger.

I'm optimistic about this comic. If nothing else, they get Optimus Prime.

 

[Johnny Here]

No, it's not. Not even compared to other Transformers titles.


Look man, IDW burned me out in IRL politics by making every Autobot prior to Optimus a fascist, using the Decepticons as a Soviet Communism allegory, and James Roberts working out his issues with the state of British socialism via a reformed Megatron that basically just served as his mouthpiece.

I let politics dominate my life too much as is and I suppose IDW1's take was super interesting and fresh when I was in my 20s and the idea that a thing I liked as a kid could have IRL political allegories was mind blowing, but I'm 36 now. I've had enough. If I want to be depressed about politics I'll doomscroll Twitter thankyouverymuch. I'm looking for something else out of TF comics, and SB and DWJ's giving it to me.



My favourite parts of this issue were Optimus, Carly, Spike, and Cliffjumper talking in the woods.

Hardly an all action/nothing else ride, is it?


If your main issue is that you're upset PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING IT WRONG then the problem's with you.


IDW never figured out what they wanted Optimus to be. The entire continuity was making a very black and white concept ( Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons! ) very grey. Which I loved until I didn't.

But big picture Optimus isn't a grey character. He's always the moral centre of the cast. Prime being a hero, and an empathetic leader, is central to the story. IDW's various creative teams all tried their own takes on it, and it seems what Barber and Roberts ended on (since they got to land the plane, and their run is probably the most synonymous with the continuity) was that he was basically a good guy but haunted by the legacy of corrupt Primes. He was an atheist who resisted religion despite claiming a title that was religious in nature, and disliked the blind loyalty some had towards him because of that title while also cynically using it to advance what he saw as the greater good.

None of this is bad, mind you. Divorce it from Optimus Prime, hell from Transformers in general, and you have the makings of a good reluctant protagonist.

But as Optimus Prime... it was lacking? And it was hard to figure out why it never really clicked like a lot of other characters IDW wrote did, but then when compared to this take it's like night and day.
DWJ gets why Optimus Prime is Optimus Prime and why that matters. He's compassionate and empathetic and if even a simple animal is hurt on his account because he didn't think something through he will feel bad about it. This is the guy who sees life and earnestly believes "freedom is the right of all sentient beings," no matter what.

You're like, that's your opinion man, while texting me a wall of text about my opinion.

We disagree.

 

[Sabrblade]

So, what is the issue, here, exactly? Are these comics too Adam West, or too Frank Miller? It can't be both at the same time.

 

[Shadewing]

So, what is the issue, here, exactly? Are these comics too Adam West, or too Frank Miller? It can't be both at the same time.

People are upset that it's not Adam West enough, treating it like its Frank Miller; when its just Tom King.

 

[Andrusi]

Setting aside stuff that will get people bad-faithing at me, Duke felt here a lot like Jetfire did in Void Rivals. Whoa, it's a character from something! Now he's leaving and taking his plot significance with him. Read his comic when it comes out!