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Post by Kingoji on May 7, 2010 6:29:02 GMT
Something else to bear in mind is that NOT every Decepticon on Garrus 9 was a prisoner. If they blow the deterrence chips, then they still have to handle the force of the Decepticons who managed to take G9 in the first place.
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on May 8, 2010 19:45:59 GMT
I'd love it if what Ironfist learnt from Aequitas and reveals in issue #5 is something completely off-the-wall that catches us all off-guard, i.e. not just about Pova but something mind-blowingly unexpected about the meaning of life, the universe and everything, like the revelations in 'Eugenesis'. Martin
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Post by legios on May 10, 2010 21:20:18 GMT
Recently had a chance to get caught up with reading this issue. I have to say that I am glad that this series exists (for one further issue at least), because it is the only IDW Transformers comic that actually feels like it is worth the time that it takes to read it.
It works well on a level of an action spectacle - where you can view it as a band of down-and-dirty heroes taking on despicable villians to recover a mysterious McGuffin. Viewed on that level it is pretty successful. It certainly delivers action and spectacle aplenty.
At the same time though it can also be read as a bit of a meditation on how close you can get to the line before you start to become indistinguishable from the enemy - and whether you can cross that line without ever really noticing, like Impactor did. There is an interesting parallel developing between Impactor and Overlord. Impactor went from hitting hard against folk who were shooting at him to executing prisoners in cold-blood (an important moral distinction I feel) and calling it pragmatism. Meanwhile Overlord, who seems to have initially gloried in killing and destruction almost seems to have reached a point where he sees the violence as merely a tool, a means to a pragmatic end. They may be on opposite sides of the war but there is almost a sense that they have passed each other going in different directions.
Aequitas is an interesting idea, a more thought-provoking idea for the McGuffin than I think I was expecting. I do love being surprised, and so the reveal of this was a truly wonderful moment. Placing an apparently flawless machine of judgement in the centre of this story does bring a nice focus to the themes of guilt, and moral standpoints that have been threading into the series.
The bait-and-switch of who dies to initialise Aequitas is a nice touch as well. The long history of Transformers comics has inurred us to the idea that the "famous" characters are indeed bullet-proof. So when Ironfist and Pyro declare that they knew that they weren't marked with the special survivor mark it feels like they are showing a high degree of genre awareness. And then the issue goes and does the exact opposite of what we have been trained to expect, with one of the "Fan favourite" characters being the one marked for death. A nice move there.
The character development in this issue is notable too. We get to see that it isn't just Springer and Impactor that are sitting on secrets about themselves. Both Ironfist and Pyro have other sides to them than we have seen so far - just like actual people they have aspects of themselves that aren't perhaps the ones they would choose to show others, and they seem more rounded as characters because of it.
The art maintains the high standard that has been sent by previous issues as well. Having two artists on a single issue, and having their work blend without running into any bumpy discontinuities can be a difficult thing to do. The fact that Nick Roche, Guido Guidi, Andrew Griffith and Josh Burcham manage to make it work so well is a tribute to their assembled talent.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I really enjoyed this comic. It entertained me, delivered an action fix, character development and it made me think a bit too. I can't really ask for much more of a comic.
One more issue to go. On the one hand I am looking forward to seeing where it all goes and how it all concludes. On the other I will miss it when it is over.
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on May 11, 2010 6:53:09 GMT
Finally caught up last night. Best issue of the series by a country mile. So happy Aquitas was not a fanwank character. Some fine old school fanservice for the folk the Wreckers were fighting in the flashback!
-Ralph
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Post by grahamthomson on May 12, 2010 19:24:19 GMT
Issue 4 is now out as well. £1.19 per issue is excellent value.
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Post by dinogrrl on May 13, 2010 0:54:50 GMT
Whoa - they stepped it up on the release! Good, seeing how late they were with #3. I will be receiving my iPad on Friday, so I will be downloading Wreckers to it first thing. And then try not to drool on it, cause iWhatsits don't generally like getting wet.
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Post by grahamthomson on May 13, 2010 8:31:18 GMT
The iPad isn't out here in the UK until the end of the month, so you'll have to tell me how good the comics look on it!
At £1.19 per issue and the iPad screen size near enough the size of the printed comic, it may sway me to getting digital comics for good.
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Post by The Doctor on May 13, 2010 20:58:12 GMT
The comic aspect is the killer app for the Ipad as far as I am concerned, though I'll not get the initial release. I'll wait until the inevitable bugs are ironed out. Considering the high cost of printed comics, I can see me switching partly to digital format if the right device/app is out there.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on May 16, 2010 9:42:59 GMT
Absolutely loving the series.
A breath of fresh air in Transformers comics and with a genuine air of unpredictability which I think we can all agree has been somewhat lacking in Transformers comics of late. The revelation of Aequitas was splendid. A society of robots should use more computers & machines for things like this and it's odd to think that this is really the first time we've seen something like this in a Transformers comic. I doff my cap to the Rocherts gestalt for this.
Some nice nods to the old school comics both UK and US, I think the appearance of Crosscut made me the happiest.
Looks like my theory about Topspin and Twin Twist was wrong, however, I am very happy to be proved wrong and surprised.
Guido stepping in and providing a few pages which were similar enough to Nick's style to not jar the reader was okay with me, though I would have liked more Nick. It's good that he's allowed to draw some pages of a well written TF comic, doesn't happen often enough.
I can honestly say I have no clue whatsoever how you will wrap things up with Issue 5 but I can't wait to see.
Well done to both of you (and Guido, Josh and every-one else who has helped).
Andy
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Post by dinogrrl on May 17, 2010 1:35:15 GMT
I will work on doing a review of the iPad with both IDW and other comics apps this week. I only got the iPad on Friday, and am rather flat out at work, but I'll take pics and post the review in its own thread soon.
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Post by grahamthomson on May 17, 2010 9:08:51 GMT
I look forward to seeing your review!
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Post by grahamthomson on May 20, 2010 14:48:52 GMT
Nefarious #3 and Spotlight: Prowl are now available for iPod/iPhone/iPad.
Seems like digital releases are coming out a bit quicker right now.
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Post by The Doctor on May 20, 2010 17:48:28 GMT
As they should if they want to have people buy digital.
I see they have an iPad app. Good.
-Ralph
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Post by grahamthomson on May 20, 2010 19:04:32 GMT
The gap between print and digital is about a month by my reckoning.
It must put the publishers in a dilemma; they must want strong digital sales but not at the expense of losing print sales. Still, if the pop music industry's anything to go by, it'll soon be out of their hands.
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Post by grahamthomson on May 25, 2010 21:16:49 GMT
Wreckers #5, Ongoing #6 and Best of UK Prey #1 now available for iPad.
Releases seem faster now, considering Wreckers #5 has only been out a few days!
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Dave
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Posts: 1,811
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Post by Dave on May 27, 2010 14:37:51 GMT
It's good that they are releasing new issues quicker but they could do with filling in some gaps with the back issues - there's none of the 'ations or any UK reprints (aside from Prey#1 mentioned above). I downloaded a few issues the other day for viewing on my iPod including Spotlight: Shockwave which was free. Quite impressed with how they work and having the choice of full page or panel view.
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Post by grahamthomson on May 27, 2010 20:11:20 GMT
Hopefully demand for the older stuff will eventually mean supply.
Best to email IDW telling them what you want to see: iphone@idwpublishing.com
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