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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 25, 2008 9:16:45 GMT
Think carefully about which comic story from 1985 is your favourite and then place your vote accordingly!
The poll will not show the results until after 7 days when it's been locked. How exciting! So get voting!
Feel free to put forward your reasons for voting or thoughts on 1985's comic stories as well. You never know, you may win other fans over to your way of thinking!
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 25, 2008 9:59:35 GMT
MAN OF IRON: by far the best of the UK stories. Transformers were never this alien, spooky and frightening again.
So annoyed Titan and IDW have never reprinted it.
-Ralph
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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 25, 2008 10:03:04 GMT
Agreed.
Plus I loved Bluestreak after reading this.
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Nov 25, 2008 10:53:28 GMT
Damn this was almost too close to call but I had to give it to Warrior School.
Andy
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Nov 25, 2008 14:43:37 GMT
Isn't Man of Iron being included in one of IDW's upcoming Classic transformers trades? - albeit the Yomtovified version. Anyway best of 1985. Eck I dunno. It's tough.  |
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Nov 25, 2008 15:16:37 GMT
Apparently it is but they should just use the nicely coloured version from Collected Comics #3 instead.
Much much better!
Andy
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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 25, 2008 15:40:47 GMT
Gah! It's amazing how much Yomtov ruined those early US issues (for me, anyway). At the time those pages in "The New Order" confused me more than shocked as I didn't recognise anyone!
And that panel where Shockwave rips Sunstreaker in half (the original "No! I want two pieces!" moment in Transformers) is completely ruined because of the colouring.
Poor Sunstreaker, that tear from Shockwave was enough to put him out for another 160+ issues! Awww, Sunstreaker.
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Nov 25, 2008 20:56:55 GMT
With the Yomtov we do have to cut him some slack, we've no idea how the colour separators dealt with his John Martin dye-soaked reproductions of the lineart. I've seen some colour guides of that era and it's amazing the difference between them and what sees print at the end of the day.
That being said he was still never on a par with Gina Hart who coloured Man of Iron for us.
Andy
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Post by legios on Nov 25, 2008 21:09:41 GMT
This has been a nail-biter to decide on - featuring as it does two of the leading contenders for my all-time favourite Transformers comic story. It was quite a slugging match, and for a moment there it looked like "Warrior School" might take my vote. But, by two falls out of three I have to go with "Man of Iron".
One of the stories that made the strongest impact on me when I was younger, "Man of Iron" is a story of the kind we didn't get many of. One of the few stories to treat the Transformers as genuinely alien robots on Earth, and to really play with the idea of "robots in disguise" hiding just under the surface of everyday life. A little bit spooky and deeply memorable. Difficult to understand why it hasn't been reprinted properly yet to be honest - considering that IDW are doing a series called "Best of UK Transformers" it passes my understanding why it hasn't already been run therein.
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 25, 2008 21:13:18 GMT
With the Yomtov we do have to cut him some slack, we've no idea how the colour separators dealt with his John Martin dye-soaked reproductions of the lineart. I've seen some colour guides of that era and it's amazing the difference between them and what sees print at the end of the day. Yomtov is always deserving of some kudos. After all, he's worked on more Transformer issues than anyone else, other than perhaps Furman. -Ralph |
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Nov 25, 2008 21:26:20 GMT
'Warrior School' for me. I agree with what's been said about 'Man of Iron', but 'Warrior School' not only gives us robots that are very alien (Ratchet learning about sausages, folks), very threatening (all the Autobots deactivated except Ratchet, Earth at the mercy of Shockwave - truly the darkest hour), the best artwork in the entire run, and the most sympathetic robot character in the whole run, in Ratchet - all alone on an alien world, once he and Buster part company. And then at the end - the twist! Ratchet and Megatron strike a deal...
Flawless.
Martin
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Nov 25, 2008 21:30:01 GMT
I'm with Martin pretty much for the reasons he so eloquently stated. It doesn't get better than this folks.
Andy
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 25, 2008 21:33:17 GMT
'Warrior School' is a close second for me.
Actually, looking again at the list, 1985 was a really strong year for Transformers stories! Only 'Dis-integrated Circuits' is below par and even then it's pretty readable and has some fun moments.
-Ralph
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Post by Shockprowl on Nov 26, 2008 0:20:31 GMT
Yep, Man of Iron, gotta be. Just, blew my bollocks off as a child. 'Was such a modern story, with modern art. Didn't spell owt out (owt out?). The characterisation was astromonically wonderfull. It's genious, pure and simple.
I thing Doc' absolutely nailed it when he says the Transformers had never been so alien. The story was written from a child's point of view, and yet in an adult way (that doesn't make sense, Ian). I remember thinking, as a child, if Transformers were real, this is what it'd be like! I'm not sure anyother story since has ever made me feel the same way.
(I actually think it's the best Transformers story ever writen- even though it didn't have Prowl in it...)
Yeah, and why the hell hasn't it been reprinted?! The RAGE builds!......
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Post by Shockprowl on Nov 26, 2008 0:26:27 GMT
...Ratchet learning about sausages, folks... Martin This is a good point. |
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Post by legios on Nov 26, 2008 7:31:28 GMT
Actually, looking again at the list, 1985 was a really strong year for Transformers stories! Only 'Dis-integrated Circuits' is below par and even then it's pretty readable and has some fun moments. -Ralph 1985 was a vintage year for the comic. I'd go so far as to say that it may be the best single year of its run. It certainly provides the strongest years run of stories. There are still good stories in future years, but I'd say 85 is the year when the quality is at its most consistent. Even the weakest story of the year is still workable as straight-forward action stuff, and the majority of the stories are well above par. Karl |
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Post by grahamthomson on Nov 26, 2008 8:32:15 GMT
Looking back, it was a bloody good year for comics.
I think Budiansky's early issues are grossly under-rated, possibly overshadowed by his future efforts in the minds of a lot of readers later on.
Still, it wouldn't have been easy having Hasbro coming in every Monday tipping buckets of toys onto his desk to sell.
I wonder how things would have panned out if, after US #12, no new Transformers characters were created but the comic kept on going?
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Nov 26, 2008 18:07:17 GMT
I wonder how things would have panned out if, after US #12, no new Transformers characters were created but the comic kept on going? It would have been infinitely better in my view. (The stories, that is, not the toy sales.) I agree that 1985 was the best year for stories overall, but 1986 was the best year for UK stories. Martin |
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Post by Shockprowl on Nov 26, 2008 19:46:57 GMT
I wonder how things would have panned out if, after US #12, no new Transformers characters were created but the comic kept on going? It would have been infinitely better in my view. (The stories, that is, not the toy sales.) I agree that 1985 was the best year for stories overall, but 1986 was the best year for UK stories. Martin Couldn't agree more. |
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Post by The Doctor on Nov 26, 2008 20:33:48 GMT
1985-1987 is the golden age of Transformer comics, for me.
-Ralph
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