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Post by Philip Ayres on Jul 5, 2010 22:10:00 GMT
I've just reviewed the toy of Generations Drift. Now I've not read TF comics since before the first Movie. Explain the hatred towards the Drift character to me please. |
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Post by Fortmax2020 on Jul 5, 2010 22:31:42 GMT
He's a totally manufactured character believed by his creators to be 'cool' and that by telling us this repeatedly and forcing him into stories without real purpose or necessity we will succumb to his brilliance without him ever giving us reason to believe he has any.
What's not to like?
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Post by jameso on Jul 5, 2010 22:33:19 GMT
I think the negative response was more of a why introduce a new character instead of using Wheeljack/Trailbreaker/Smokescreen etc issue than a specific complaint against the character. Also, the writer who introduced him was very unpopular (and shit, in my opinion) and it just seemed all a bit 'woo, look at our cool new character, you guys are so lucky to have him'.
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Post by Kingoji on Jul 6, 2010 4:42:16 GMT
Drift was announced to much fanfare, with some of the publicity blurb saying stuff like "He's gonna be our Wolverine!" and similar. They kept sayin that they had big plans for the character, and that there was no-one out there who could fill his role.
But so far, he hasn't done much beyond stand in crowd shots with a look on his face which alternates between 'smug' and 'stern'. Even his Spotlight seemed to be nothing more than an explanation for the radical change in Perceptor between Spotlight: Kup and AHM. And his new mini seems to be getting treated by IDW as an afterthought at best.
And yeah, he's so unique. No one else could ever take the place of a Decepticon who switches sides due to his own view of honour being brought into question. *COUGH COUGH* Carnivac, Dinobot (twice), Blackarachnia, Armada Starscream, IDW Thundercracker, Sunbow Blitzwing...
Plus, he's a ninja bot who refuses to use guns!
... Bludgeon?
Hell even his design is pretty much a simple retool of Turbomaster Boss.
He's a massive cliche, and everytime this walking pile of fanwank is on-panel, someone else's favourite character of 20-plus years who has suffered terrible neglect already, is not.
Now, the arguement could be made for similar comics-original characters since the beginning... Xaaron, Straxus, Impactor. The difference is, these guys were all created to serve a very specific purpose and, ultimately, to die afterwards. Drift doesn't even have the good grace of an actual purpose, let alone is approaching the 'die already' stage.
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Post by grahamthomson on Jul 6, 2010 6:22:13 GMT
What really elevates Drift over all other Transformers is that, despite them having millions of years of experience perfectly disguising themselves to infiltrate countless alien worlds, all he needs to do is wear a bulging overcoat.
Much like the Air Strike Patrol did in that awful Micromaster Wrestling story from Marvel. Except they had cooler hats.
Actually, I have no feeling towards the character of any kind. Which is odd, as good writers always make readers empathise with their characters. In fact I look forward to completely ignoring Drift's origins when I don't read his forthcoming mini-series.
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Hero
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
King of RULES!
Everything Rules
Posts: 7,494
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Post by Hero on Jul 6, 2010 6:47:58 GMT
I just purchased the Drift toy without drinking any of the kool aid from the comics. It was a package deal with the other 3 Universe figures. In fact I don't follow the new comics at all sadly and I've so much catching up to do (Last Stand of the Wreckers, Maximum Dinobots, Spotlight etc).
The toy looks decent and the Blur retool the same. I should really get to know this character...
===KEN
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Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Jul 6, 2010 6:59:11 GMT
In principle I should be a Drift fan, because I _dislike_ seeing characters' lives re-booted in a new continuity. One life per character per medium is my rule of thumb. So I'm irritated to see old Marvel TFs (whether based on toys, like Prowl and Springer, or not, like Impactor and Jhiaxus) turn up in new comics with their life histories wiped clean, and would much rather writers either build on their established comic histories or else create new characters with new names... like Drift.
So in principle I should be a Drift fan, as he's one of the few TFs in IDW who is having to earn his own acceptance by readers rather than just riding on a wave of familiarity.
But the only story I've seen him in is a rather poor 11-pager in the same issue of All Hail Megatron as a much better story by Nick. And from other people's description of his character, he doesn't exactly sound like he's in the same league of quality as other non-Marvel TFs developed in IDW such as Ironfist and Snare.
Martin
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Post by grahamthomson on Jul 6, 2010 7:48:09 GMT
But the only story I've seen him in is a rather poor 11-pager in the same issue of All Hail Megatron as a much better story by Nick. And I would leave it that to be honest, Martin!  Mind you, Drift is the only character to have his own Spotlight AND mini-series. Not even Megatron or Optimus Prime have that much subtitle exposure! |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jul 6, 2010 8:18:57 GMT
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Post by blueshift on Jul 6, 2010 10:06:16 GMT
My issue with Drift is that he seems to be an exercise in commercialism rather than anything else. And yes, I know I'm talking about TRANSFORMERS, and that he was the writer's idea rather than IDW, but he's been promoted in a brazen 'LOOK AT THIS GUY YOU WILL LIKE HIM' with an instant one-shot and miniseries, and his existence seems to be to promote himself, rather than develop as a character, or even have an interesting character.
As a reader, I like to choose which characters I like, rather than be told which ones I should like. That's the difference between Drift and say, Ironfist, who was just one guy amongst loads with no individual promotion but we as readers all latched onto him.
So yes. Whilst there's nothing DREADFULLY wrong with the character, I mean it's an archetype we've seen a lot before, it is more that he represents commercialism over art, to me at least.
(Yes I know I am talking about TRANSFORMERS, but still...)
Great design though. Can't fault the design.
To be honest, in All Hail Megatron I feel it would have been far MORE effective if they had used an existing Decepticon in place of Drift. Then the readers would be in the same position as not trusting the character as the other Autobots are, but since we have no idea who Drift is supposed to be, we have no reason to distrust him.
Of course I don't think he does anything in the story to really resolve that arc anyway, but still.
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Post by Kingoji on Jul 6, 2010 14:51:28 GMT
I was, of course, referring to fiction. I don't recall the *character* of Bludgeon ever using a firearm, not even his own tank barrel... |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jul 6, 2010 14:56:10 GMT
I was, of course, referring to fiction. I don't recall the *character* of Bludgeon ever using a firearm, not even his own tank barrel... Which is blatantly silly characterisation. I'm pretty sure Bludgeon fires his weapons in the original comics, I'll need my trades for issue numbers. Edit: He uses his Tank Gun in US 79. The sword thing is an invention by the comic writers, the original toy doesn't even have a sword and his tech specs talk about him using a cannon. That to my mind is much worse than inventing your own character. |
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Post by Kingoji on Jul 6, 2010 15:03:21 GMT
In a thread about why people hate Drift, you're calling *Bludgeon* out for silly characterisation?
You should utterly despise Drift, then...
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Post by grahamthomson on Jul 6, 2010 15:10:47 GMT
What's worse, is that the comics showed Bludgeon to have full articulation in his limbs when the toy was a complete brick. Now THAT'S silly characterisation!
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Post by blueshift on Jul 6, 2010 15:55:48 GMT
And heck, 'bludgeon' implies a blunt instrument, neither of which is a gun OR a sword.
But don't confuse characterisation with character-accuracy. Transformers have usually varied wildly from their tech specs anyway. To me, what is most important is to have a character who is interesting and multi-layered.
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Post by charlesrocketboy on Jul 7, 2010 15:22:47 GMT
Drift ran over my dog.  |
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