Transformers Ongoing 2012 (was Robots in Disguise)

[The Doctor]

I may have to reverse my fear of Starscream being overused: I thought the way he was written in #3 was excellent.

-Ralph

[Andy Turnbull]

I am liking the fact we are seeing an intelligent Starscream for once. He's not just treacherous, he's actually subtle.

Andy

[legios]

Indeed, it is nice to see Starscream being depicted as a canny operator. We don't often see this in official fiction. The version in this title is someone I can actually seeing having the political nous to not only have held onto his position in the Decepticon hierachy, but even manage to acquire followers in his own right.

He is a bit trisky and politically astute - an interesting take.

Karl

[glaug]

Perhaps he's mostly written that way to be an effective counterpart to Prowl, who at this point is wrapped up in his own web of lies and deceit.. for the "right" reasons. Not that I'm complaining, it beats "curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

[legios]

I do like the current take on Prowl. Barber is building well on firm foundations of making Prowl an "ends justify the means" character. I think it is a characterisation that rings true, that he would be calculating enough to do whatever he believes is necessary, regardless of the morality of it. It certainly does make for an interesting character dynamic that is for sure.

Karl

[Jaymz]

Some Rock Lords show up in a panel in the new issue, very exciting.

[Andy Turnbull]

Candidate for comic of the year then!

Andy

[The Doctor]

I have just seen that glorious panel!

In general, #4 is a very strong issue and where the series graduates from 'good if a bit rough around the edges' to very compelling. Prowl is now firmly the star of the book, the Avon of RID if you will. When he's not on the page you want to know what he is doing.

-Ralph

[KnightBeat]

Blimey! It looks like RID has swapped positions with MTMTE. We're getting RID #6 on June 13th, just two weeks after RID #5 appeared.

[Fortmax2020]

No complaints here! Bit of a slow burning series but I'm enjoying it.

[The Doctor]

Yep. Still hitting the spot for me.

-Ralph

[Bogatan]

I've opted for the wait four weeks and get the issues half price route (and then just forgot to buy any for a month or two) so am a little behind. Just read issue three. I'm enjoying it but I think I'm developing one issue with RID.

I'm not really taken by any of the characters, I dont have to like them but so far I'm not very interested in them at all. It might be the heavier use of the big players. MTMTE feels a little fresher with its mix. So far RID aside from Metalhawk its all the G1 regulars.

It all feels a bit Game of Thrones like, which is a compliment, but if I'm not really connecting with the characters it makes it hard to care about al the political manoeuvring.

[Andy Turnbull]

I enjoy the tone the book has, and Metalhawk is proving to be very telling. Not actually in it a whole lot, but when he is things seem to take shape. I'm looking forward to him being fleshed out a bit more, as there does appear to be more to his agenda than the simple Autobots out we'd seen at the start.

Starscream is being handled well, and shown as being intelligent as well as treacherous. Too often that part of his character is forgotten.

Andy

[glaug]

Not as enjoyable as MtMtE for me, but still better than most of its recent predecessors. The Ironhide 'reveal' was pretty nice.

[Philip Ayres]

Ta for the reminder: just ordered the trade!

[Jim]

Just sat in the park reading #7, I think it may be my favourite issue yet. Just excellent. Brendan Cahill's art is fantastic - clear and expressive. The writing continues the slow-burning build of the series overall while giving another good done-in-one story.

Characterisation, as in MTMTE, is strong all round too. I'm really liking this Starscream, even though you can't help but wonder what he's up to, and Metalhawk gets some more depth (though I remain suspicious of him as well).

Also, there's a panel about halfway through in Maccadam's that I just love. I laughed out loud.

[The Doctor]

Didn't really get much out of #7. Writing was fine with many fine character beats but I didn't at all like the art. Felt very amateurish in places and there were a few 'I don't know what is going on' moments with some characters looking horribly squashed at times. I'm not familiar with Cahill and I think he has potential but he's not quite there yet. The last page is a mess in particular.

Easily the weakest issue thus far, but I am intrigued as to how the SPOILER THING THAT SPOILER FINDS plotline will play out.

Overall, still enjoying the series, however.

-Ralph

[Jim]

I believe he's done a little Transformers work before, but during the ongoing where I wouldn't have encountered it. I marginally prefer it over the regular artist. There are a couple of panels where the facial expressions look a bit odd, but I didn't find any other problem and I like the bold cartooniness.

[The Doctor]

Saw the trade in FPE. Collected the first five issues with some creator commentary up the back. It shall be procured (cheaper) from The Book Depository in due course.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

Trade arrived this week, read it, loved it. You just know everything is going to go tits any second with all the stuff Prowl's been up to exposed and the Decepticons openly back too their old ways.

[Deleted]

I'll get my TPB for this (and any other recent TPB's) at the end of this month, thanks to me spending most of my money this weekend lol

[The Doctor]

Read #8. It's nice to see Andrew Griffith back. The book hasn't been the same without him.

SPOILER: Click to show

Intrigued to see where the election and Prowl's assassination of Bombshell subplots are going and what the heck is happening out in the wildnerness. And I like that the series is running with the story in Costa's last issue rather than ignoring it.

A mark off for the Comixology file splitting a 2-page spread over two separate page views though.

-Ralph

[Jim]

Enjoyed #8 a lot, Griffith does indeed do a fine job on the art. I like that double page spread of Sky-Lynx and the Dinobots.

Prowl continues to be the star of the show for me, he's starting to bring to mind Vic Mackey from The Shield. He should have a full-on Strike Team of police-themed Autobots.

[The Doctor]

Prowl is the star of the book along with...Starscream, actually. I usually can't stand the character but the way he's used here I actively look forward to his appearances (something I never thought I would say). Barber is using him intelligently and for this type of character less is more. Starscream is barely in this issue yet makes a strong impact with a few well chosen lines.

-Ralph

[Andy Turnbull]

While it lacks of the bombast and hyperbole of MTME, wisely to be honest this simmer cauldron of sub-plots and intrigue continues to intrigue me and has me hooked.

Prowl must have a fall from grace by the end of this, and I'm curious to see how it will play out. Starscream hasn't been this interesting in years. The character makes an impact without being too showy.

Still think there's some horribleness to come in regards to Metalhawk though.

Andy

[skillex]

Prowl has always been one of my favourites and glad that he is being so well used here - as Andy says, a fall from grace is inevitable.

This series has also really reinvigorated a few other characters that I suppose have long been "fan favourites" but I have never cared for - Ironhide and Starscream in particular.

[legios]

Thoroughly enjoying this series - as much as MTME, just for different reasons. I love the sense of realpolitik that is threaded through the series. It would have been easy to portray the Autobots as nobly trying to build freedom and democracy in the brave new world. Instead we have something a little grubbier, and more realistic going on.

Bumblebee's concern about not holding elections until people can be relied upon to vote for the right people is redolent of nation building efforts on our own planet. Whilst Prowl's view of politics is a wonderfully practical, and cynical one - frankly what I would expect of a military mind used to amassing every possible advantage they can lay their hands on. Starscream meanwhile is a real gem - usually he isn't a terribly interesting character, but this version is an absolute highlight. Barber gives him just the right level of sarcasm to neatly skewer the Autobot's pretensions, whilst making him just shifty enough that he feels like a viable political animal (a level of common sense and self-awareness that 'Screamer is rarely depicted as having).

The title is managing to get just the right balance of political shenanigans and giant robot action as well - it is very well balanced between two stools at the moment.

SPOILER: Click to show

Ironhide's foray into the wilds of Cybertron is quite fun, in a "monsters on the loose" sort of way. I do love the depiction of Slag as well - somewhat unstable, and with just enough self-awareness to know this and have decided he doesn't care.

I am rather hoping that we don't discover it really is Megatron out in the wilds doing crazy experiments though. We are less than a year into the new order, I'm kind of hoping that they will keep Megatron off the table a bit longer. Heck, I'm kind of dissappointed that we got an Orion Pax cut-away story so early on in the run to be honest.

Karl

[Rich]

The first trade of this is pretty good, and well worth a read. It's not quite in the very top tier of the best 21 Century TF books, but it definitely deserves a 'good'.

I think RiD has as an easier set-up than MTMTE with plenty of scope for the writer to expand its plot focus beyond the mainly character driven first book. I'm really impressed by what has been done with Starscream and the Decepticons, but rather less keen on the portrayal of the Autobots. I understand that making the choice of whether to be an Autobot or Decepticon convincingly ideological requires a softening of the the latter and and a hardening of the former, but most of the Autobots are quite unlikeable - Bumblebee and Prowl, particularly. I look forward to Bumblebee failing to secure the the Autobot party nomination at the crucial Iacon Caucus (sorry). I like Wheeljack and Ironhide, though.

I'm looking forward to volume 2 - but not quite enough to get me downloading it again on a monthly basis.

[The Doctor]

#9 is out. Once again, Starscream steals the show (a sentence I thought I would never type).

-Ralph

[Jim]

Thoroughly enjoyed 9, guessed what happened to the Aerialbots but it was still a good reveal. Griffith's art is marvellous. Barber's characterisation is subtly brilliant, and the various plots continue to boil and intrigue. Always enjoy the fan-pleasing cameos in Maccadam's.

Wish I hadn't read the ad for the annual though, containing as it does a massive spoiler for MTMTE.

-Jim