IDW 'Collected comics'

[KnightBeat]

Following the release of the TF Premiere edition #1 and #2 a few months ago (as owned by our own favourite Doctor, IIRC), Amazon have listed a new collection of IDW TF comics, this time sorted in chronological order (until they decide to write a series set in the distant past and completely mess up the chronology). "This run is sure to redefine your experience with the Robots in Disguise", it claims.

[KnightBeat]

Transformers - The covers

The Amazon listing claims it contains "all the Transformers covers from the Robots in Disguise complete run of comics!", which is strange for two reasons: (1) it's only 120 pages and (2) it's clearly labelled as volume 1, which presumes that there will be a follow-on.

[KnightBeat]

The Best of Optimus Prime

"Optimus Prime is leader of the Autobots. During his time as PRIME he has been challenged both mentally and physically with the responsibilities of leadership... at times, he's succeeded... others, he's failed. These stories, culled from his datatracks across many timelines, are his finest moments."

But will it contain Crisis of Command - a story that shows Prime at his most isolated and vulnerable? Will it heck!

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2010 23:47:58 GMT KnightBeat said:

Transformers - The covers

The Amazon listing claims it contains "all the Transformers covers from the Robots in Disguise complete run of comics!", which is strange for two reasons: (1) it's only 120 pages and (2) it's clearly labelled as volume 1, which presumes that there will be a follow-on.

Assuming it is reprinting every TF cover (which is highly unlikely due to copyright issues with a few characters that appeared on some of the covers) this will reprint the covers to the first 115 issues if they are reprinting one cover per page (the page count would also include a foreword presumably and an ad at the back of the book).

[primenova]

From that it looks like it just covers the US run 84 issues minus the one they'll skip #3,9,23,28?,45,68,73

so that makes - 78 issues

then DW,IDW covers

[Jaymz]

Jan 21, 2010 11:58:54 GMT @zudobug said:

Assuming it is reprinting every TF cover (which is highly unlikely due to copyright issues with a few characters that appeared on some of the covers)

The most recent Classic Transformers volume from IDW contains Circuit Breaker and the Neo Knights, along with a copyright credit to Marvel in the front of the book. So less likely to skip covers, but the Marvel logo would be removed.

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2010 23:43:10 GMT KnightBeat said:

Following the release of the TF Premiere edition #1 and #2 a few months ago (as owned by our own favourite Doctor, IIRC), Amazon have listed a new collection of IDW TF comics, this time sorted in chronological order (until they decide to write a series set in the distant past and completely mess up the chronology). "This run is sure to redefine your experience with the Robots in Disguise", it claims.

Here is a thought, perhaps IDW editors will fix some of the continuity errors in this trade series.

[Rich]

So I've just read about the 'IDW Collection' hardcover in the Ironhide thread; I'm guessing that means that there won't be a third volume of the current hardcover? If so: bollocks, I've been waiting for ages to read the comics I was expecting to be contained in that.

Also, what's the point of releasing a chronological hardcover while they're still making comics that are released out of chronology like the Ironhide mini that's been announced in the very same press release???


I'd actually like a complete covers collection if it really is complete and done properly with high quality repro.

[Deleted]

They're making an Best of Optimus Prime book soon but I won't be getting it. I'm sure they did one very similar to that a couple of years ago but under a different title.

[KnightBeat]

We have an answer on the content of the mysterious TF Animated paperback. It's not exciting in the slightest.

Source

Transformers: Best of Starscream by Simon Furman, Bob Budiansky, Alex Milne, and Don Figueroa (Paperback - Jan. 5, 2011)

Transformers: Ironhide by Mike Costa and Casey Coller (Paperback - Dec. 29, 2010)

Transformers: Best of Grimlock by Simon Furman, Bob Budiansky, Various, and Various Artists (Paperback - Dec. 8, 2010)

Transformers: Nefarious by Simon Furman and Carlos Magno (Paperback - Dec. 1, 2010)

Transformers: Drift by Shane McCarthy and Lee Ferguson (Paperback - Nov. 10, 2010)

Transformers Animated: The Adventure Continues! Vol. 1 by Marty Isenberg and Various Artists (Paperback - Sept. 21, 2010)
(Printing Season 3 of TFAnimated)

Transformers: IDW Collection, Vol. 2 by Simon Furman, Nick Roche, E.J. Su, and Don Figueroa (Hardcover - Sept. 21, 2010)(Includes Stormbringer, Spotlights: SIXSHOT, ULTRA MAGNUS, KUP, SOUNDWAVE, and ESCALATION 1-6)

[Andy Turnbull]

Well my copy of the IDW Collection Vol 1 arrived at the start of the week.

I hadn't read all of Megatron: Origin before - having dropped the monthly due to the poor layouts and cramped story-telling. Quite a dense read and one that had some great ideas but not quite as well executed as they could be. Spotlight: Cliffjumper is perfectly serviceable but pretty much the writer's ideal Sunbow one off episode I think. Blurr spotlight is pretty lightweight - great art and colours but of little substance.

The Furman penned material is still damned good. It's a straight up tie between Nightbeat and Shockwave as for the best individual installment in the book. Infiltration reads so much better in it's collected form as opposed to monthly.

I'd recommend getting the book if you don't already have the IDW trades.

Andy

[The Doctor]

Thanks to Andu, I now have a copy. Tis very shiny. Megatron Origin reads much, much better in one sitting and in context to the variable quality we've had since AHM. Less confusing art and some tighter editing and it could have achieved greatness.

-Ralph

[legios]

Indeed, in the context of the collection my opinion of Megatron:Origin has changed somewhat. I still feel that it is a terrible mess that is hamstrung by some horrendously cluttered art, but I feel that there are actually some really good ideas in them. It is just a pity that they aren't really explored as well as they could have been.

The collection was actually the first time I had read Spotlight:Cliffjumper. I'm kind of glad I just got it in a collection filled with other stuff I wanted. Viewed as a freebie it is a fair enough disposable read-once story. A bit too close to Shane thematically - with Cliffjumper as Alan Ladd - and the colouring feels jarringly out of step with all the stories around it. But it was effectively bonus content from my point of view.

The collection itself is a very decent effort, well presented in the form of a chunky hardcover. Good enough that it has persuaded me to put in a preorder for Vol.2.

Karl

[Dave]

Are these collections regular dimensions, or the slightly larger format used by the premiere editions?

[The Doctor]

Don't have a Premiere to compare it to, but about the size of Marvel Omnibus volumes.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

Read it again today. Oh, the McCarthy stuff really suffers when read in the same sitting with the other stories in the book. The Furman stories hold up very well, even more in light of the current state of TF comics (Wreckers excepted) and I still maintain I'd like Holmes to get another crack at the whip. And it's interesting to see how Nick Roche's art style has evolved since 2006.

Shame the colouring on the speech bubbles for the Transformers (in Infiltration) has been dropped from later stories.

-Ralph

[KnightBeat]

I ordered IDW Vol1 in June and are sill waiting for Amazon to get new stock. Anyone know a reliable online seller that has these in stock for a reasonable price?

[The Doctor]

I've found that since AHM, if you want an IDW book you have to pre-order it alas unlike Marvel, etc when you can get them whenever. The print runs must be tiny.

The only place I can see that still has it is FP Online: forbiddenplanet.com/52082-transformers-the-idw-collection-volume-1-hardcover/

Though beware. If buying from there ask them to properly pack it before they send it.

-Ralph

[Jaymz]

Sept 17, 2010 22:34:50 GMT KnightBeat said:

I ordered IDW Vol1 in June and are sill waiting for Amazon to get new stock. Anyone know a reliable online seller that has these in stock for a reasonable price?

Amazon Canada has them. With shipping it'll work out about what you'd pay off a store shelf.

[KnightBeat]

I'm a bit late to reply to this thread, but thanks to you both. FPO is out of stock, so I will give Amazon CA a go.

I notice that Volume 3 is now being advertised.

[KnightBeat]

Amazon are shipping copies of IDW Vol2 now.

[Andy Turnbull]

My two copies of V2 hit Turnbull Towers this afternoon.

Andy

[Andy Turnbull]

Not read it all yet, decided to read Spotlight: Mirage though as I have never read it in the paper. Beautiful art by Guido - and the most paper thin story imaginable.

Andy

[The Doctor]

Thanks to my books dealer, I now have a copy of volume 2 of the aforementioned volume. Looks spiffy.

-Ralph

[KnightBeat]

I finally got my hands on a copy of IDW Collection Vol1 and reread Megatron: Origin for the first time since it was published.

The story problems are much more obvious when read in its entirety. The unnecessarily dark artwork, stilted dialogue and panel layout make it a chore to read, much more than when reading it in monthly snippets. While IDW (and DW before them) are often criticised for the little time that is required to read each issue, the opposite experience is also unpleasant. I spent a considerable amount of time attempting to understand the artwork and mentally rewriting the dialogue to explain character motivations and the events that were taking place.

Edit: Forgot to mention the gladiatorial scene. When did 'kick ass' enter the Cybertronian lexicon?

[blueshift]

Yeah Megatron:Origin was a HUGE wasted opportunity. I also disliked the pointless violence (Megatron STAMPING on a Minibot's head. Really?) and how the major character arc of Megatron happens in between issues (at the end of one issue he is a disaffected, peaceful miner, next issue starts with him as a murderous gladiator)

[The Doctor]

Despite what Amazon say, volume 3 exists. I saw 3 copies on the shelf in FPE.

-Ralph

[Jaymz]

Yeah, volume 3 was out today, contains Devastation, New Avengers/Transformers and some Spotlights.

Volume 4 is solicited in the March Previews, so expect it May/June time. It has Maximum Dinobots, Drift and the remaining Spotlights not yet collected in these HCs [except Prowl]. And I believe there's an All Hail Megatron HC due after that, which will probably be all 16 issues in one book.

[Andy Turnbull]

Will send a pissy email to Amazon and see what they say about it as I have two copies on preorder with them.

Andy

[Jaymz]

Amazon UK no longer use Diamond UK as distributor for comics. I don't know the exact reasons why, but I suspect Amazon wanted larger discounts that Diamond weren't willing or able to give.

Anyway, whoever they now use, is usually a couple of weeks behind the Diamond releases. Amazon says 15th March release date now [rather than the July mentioned before], so not too much longer to wait!