Dreamwave Armada

[charlesrocketboy]

I reread Armada 1-5 last week.

They're not as good as I remember (well, apart from #3 which sucks slightly less than I remember). There's lots of nice bits in there - the Mini-Cons having personalities, the Air Defence Team, Optimus distracting Megatron with trash-talking, some funny bits - but they're undermined by too little story in each issue, too many padding splash pages, far too much of the kids in #3 before the robots...

And worst of all, the art is a bit naff when the characters are fighting. I dunno if the Armada designs are just too blocky or if James Raiz was having problems with the house style imposed on him, but whenever 'bots & 'cons clash, it's hard to work out what's quite going on.

Also, the characters keep crotch thrusting. I don't know why.

[Benn]

Dec 20, 2009 20:15:49 GMT charlesrocketboy said:

Also, the characters keep crotch thrusting. I don't know why.

Because that was the house style. Pat Lee loves his thrusting crotch-formers.

[charlesrocketboy]

Then he should've done an RID comic, because Heavy Load was MADE for that shit.

[Deleted]

I've got most of the Armade and Energon comics somewhere and I'll have to read them at some point but I'm in no hurry.

[Benn]

They did do a small RiD comic, but it was very Prime/Magnus centric. Who's Heavy Load?

[charlesrocketboy]

The yellow Build Team member with the red shades who sounds vaguely Elvis-ish.

[Andy Turnbull]

I did think Raiz struggled with the house style. Just look at the work he did with Ellis on Tokyo Storm Warning just a little later - much, much better. Issue 2 was the best of the bunch though.

Andy

[The Doctor]

My opinion then and now remains constant. #1-2 are ok, then it turns to vapid shite.

-Ralph

[Andy Turnbull]

Issue 1 was criminally padded. It could easily have been told in eleven pages.

Andy

[Philip Ayres]

2 is one of the best things Dreamwave did (the other is War Within)

[Andy Turnbull]

Oh yes, Issue 2 was indeed a high point. War Within fizzled out, and War Within 2 had a good story if you could have removed The Fallen.

Andy

[primenova]

DW Armada comic - the four -- all five

Who do you think they are? #14-17 with

Galvatron, Bludgeon, Dirge, Scourge [was Thunderwing in there - I should have re read the comic before starting the thread - - ALSO don't read the last 4 Simon Furman spotlights, that is why i'm thinking Thunderwing]

We known Galvatron was Armada Megatron due to the ridges on his crown. But who could the others be?

Dirge - Thrust
Scourge - Cycnlous
Bludgeon - ?

[Benn]

I must confess to not understanding either the question or the reasoning behind assigning those names to thoes characters...

[Andy Turnbull]

No Peter. We know that Galvatron was Galvatron culled from an alternate timestream.

Andy

[primenova]

Just re read it - I know we have Galvatron stating that he is from another timeline & has been going forward a few time for some reason going after Megatron every time. But we know it isnt the Galvatron [that being the Marvel comics one - but a Galvatron from a timeline where the Megatron could have been a bit like Armada Meg's - this fitting in with Don doing the marks on his crown. Also there fitting the Optimus who turns up who just looks bit like Cybertron Optimus Prime mixed with the IDW Optimus from Stormbringer [both drawn by Don].

But if in a different timeline that had the same Armada characters runnign aroudn in - & they all got altered by Unicron into the 5 characters we see here [be Armada but might not have minicons running around - overrun could be from another timeline than they are from] then who would they be. We know Megatron would be Galvatorn - so we have the other 4 charcater to match up. I think Bludgeon could be Demolisher with the tank mode. So add Thunderwing to above list because he is in the comic.

[charlesrocketboy]

Nah, they're definately meant to be the G1 guys (or versions thereof). That's the whole thrust of the story - "hey kids, G1! They're much cooler than Armada right? Buy this comic!".

[primenova]

The Optimus Prime that turned up at the start could be from the same timeline as the others that turned up up but not the same as Overrun. How close he looks like Cybertron Prime.

[primenova]

They would be better suited if they where 5 characters from Galaxy Force [that Cybertron happens in the same time line as Armada/Energon - but best having GF as new universe]

After events in GF ep #52 where Cybertron is back & black hole gone - but Unicron then show up again in the future. Overrun could be an alter universe Safeguard.

Pick character in GF that could become the 5 Decepticons.
Galvatron -
Thunderwing -
Scourge -
Dirge -
Bludgeon -

[The Doctor]

I've run this thread through the Translatorometer (TM). Still no idea.

-Ralph

[primenova]

What charcaters could be used - after looking at other lines in the toy thread on repainting toys for micromasters, botcon lines. But Galaxy Force would seem best to have them from.

[Benn]

Well, seeing as Bludgeon was still a Pretender in that story I don't think you could grab him from any other line. You might as well just get that latest Movie-verse toy and be done with it.

The others... I don't know enough GF toys offhand to recommend any. I may look into it later.

[primenova]

Cybertron Soundwave would make a good Scourge.
Cybertron Starscream - but as cone head for Dirge
Vector Prime - Galvatron without sword but hand gun.
Wingsaber - Thunderwing
Unicron - Bludgeon - redo the horns into Bludgeon's helmet, remove the 3 circles on the shoulders,


{so we don't see them as in the comic - but in these new modes

just image your worst nightmare

TFCC are looking at this post & decide that the 2012 toyline are all the above 5 toys repainted but with another amazing rubbish comic story}

[Philip Ayres]

So nice.

[KnightBeat]

I'm listening to a interview with Matt Moylon about the Dreamwave TF comic.

An interesting titbit. Hasbro were sued by the Red Cross for using a red cross on the original Armada Red Alert figure. Dreamwave also mistakenly included the red cross logo on Red Alert in an issue that they'd sent to print and were told by Hasbro that they'd have to destroy this batch. There's no indication that the issue made it to shelves, though it may explain delays at the time.

[Andy Turnbull]

Not heard that tale before, can't recall if any of the Armada issues had any schedule issues tbh.

[Philip Ayres]

No, trying to get the bugger was more of a concern as it coincided with the Dreamwave TF comics international rights issues

[Andy Turnbull]

Yes, I remember the kerfuffle.

[The Doctor]

Full set of Armada/Energon on the way to me. I am weak.

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

Good comic. I wouldn't want to give mine up. I remember being excited about a new monthly issue arriving in those days.

[The Doctor]

I've been hit by a sudden urge to revisit it after 20 (!) years. Didn't read all of it back in the day and issues are inexpensive to find. Pound an issue.

-Ralph