Okay wow issue #44, I don’t believe it. It’s here!
Already on the first panel and the dialogue is gold
Mags. Megs. Why are your faces so close you’re making me uncomfortable.
Rodimus wtf
I am still not used to the manga way of emoting used on Transformers. Something felt artificially exaggerated. Guess being used to human manga characters are different things.
I can appreciate Magnus’s and Meg’s awkward attempt to banter. My attempts tend to ended up such when I’m with people I don’t know well, which was practically anyone outside my brothers.
megs what are you up to now. Not that I distrust Megs that much, but this isn’t his normal game. And for the first time I agree with Roddy’s suspicions
Okay Rewind looked so cute in that panel. I just understood why he had really fervent fans.
I love Mainframe.
That view just explained the cover of the issue.
stealth mode engage
Megs look stocky in this artist’s style.
Is that Hound? Last time I saw the guy with nostalgic glasses on was when the fella died in Transformers:The Movie.
The artist has to draw someone with a butt out. I guess if he can’t get the femme bots Rodimus will do. I just found this mix hilarious. Rodimus as the manic pixie girl. i cant. He’s been prowling the fanarts.
Necrobot has a cape of the space. Cool.
I just understood why Nightbeat is so angry that the Necrobot is just...sort of a practical government employee. Isn’t the Necrobot one of the 3 Mysteries left to solve? And the fella turns out to be...mundane.
Wow Megs. A whole field of blue flowers to yourself. This sort of mirrored that one cover of the issue with Megatron’s trials. Except he doesn’t look to be smirking now.
That just changed this issue from an interesting infodump into something rather sad.
Tailgate grew up! And the kid still looks adorable.
Okay I’m only on the third panel and the meta scares me.
I like even in human holo-mode Cyclonus’s fingers still gesture the same.
Bluestreak’s holoform is amazingly cute.
And someone did say Skids is cycling backwards from Eleven and I guess now is Nine.
Okay for some weird reason I’m scared with this ‘credits’ business. Maybe because I don’t know what to expect. Are we in Swerve’s mind? Are we in some reality-warpers’ mind? WTF is happening?
Oh okay back to normal scheduled crazy robot shenanigans. My heart almost could not take it.
Oh ok that made some freakin sense.
What are you hiding with that cough, Brainstorm?
101 Damnations. Oh I just can’t.
The holo-avatars need to consume food too or its just that Earth’s quirk?
It was Swerve who opened Brainstorm’s briefcase? Finally we had that answered. So this situation definitely had something to do with when Swerve got hit by Brainy’s metaphysical gun isn’t it?
Detail: Tailgate’s sippy cup is Cylonus themed!
Yep Skids is definitely Nine and Jerry is Swerve (his habit of pranking others sort of exposed this). Hmm, Sheldon, Bluths, Ted, and Jerry the stand-up comedian? I dunno, I’m reminded of Jerry Seinfield.
Shit Roddy. That’s some mane of lustrous hair *reminded of Wolverine’s glossy hair in his first origin movie* Love the flames tat, Rodimus!
SHIT Megatron is badass! Somebody do a fanart of that PLEASE! Oh and of Bluestreak too.
Megs has a walking stick with a Decepticon badge on it. What does that even mean I would like to know.
That’s an easy way to get rid of that.
Poor Swerve. Wow quite a number on this ship goes on isolation sprees do they? *ship full of dysfunctional fools*
Oooooh I love this panel Cyclonus and Tailgate.
Okay did expect a twist but did not expect all three of them to answer.
Wait so is Nightbeat’s holo-avatar like Idris Elba’s Luther? You know, a detective too?
I think I get why Skids is Eccleston now.
I always knew why I like Cyclonus: straight, no-nonsense and frank to a point.
Okay that bar joke took me. Very funny.
Ambulon. And Ironfist. VERY FUNNY.
...OH. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHH. That’s another plot point wrapped up (or not).
This issue's pacing was speeding up and then awesome things cuz *falls off chair laughing*
*wasn’t keeping track of live blog but the bit too long dialogues throws me off a bit. Thunders’ lecture is a different case, he bends space-time by existing*
So finally when they need something to kill the ticks, in walks two Cybertronians with the biggest charisma/confidence/charm ever of the Lost Light. omg I just
This will be the day Rodimus should put in his awesome journal. He killed monsters just by walking into a room with Megs.
I swear Rodimus your smirk could kill things and it does. In fact its lethality is poison level. wtf Roddy. And Megs is best left unsaid. Man what if Optimus is around too, I couldn’t even fathom. And Starscream. Yep the monsters kidneys will burst spontaneously.
Who are those three bots again?
But I could guess the theme here in the this two-parter and I’m loving this! I wonder how would it feel in prose form this is exactly the style of my favourite short stories.
Aw that friendship went on nicely with Nautica and Firestar.
The day was saved by relative nobodies. Bahaha.
Dancing Rewind though.
Roddy making sure Magnus saw how (childishly and adorably) awesome he was on the Vis Vitalis.
Cyclonus’s favourite song. Aww. But Tailgate what are you doing?
.
.
.
What.
So we immediately segue into the next story?
Wait isn’t the next issue is the cover with lots of Swerves?
Analysis bit:
Wait so Skids was infected by the ticks egg thing? But he was already feeling dizzy before boarding the Vis Vitalis right? Is this another plot point?
And I’m starting to feel some of the dialogues is getting too info-dumpy, which is quite something cuz I love the meta way JRo writes, but the info-dumpy stuff especially when you should run from the monsters and the pacing kinda makes me hope JRo realizes this habit of his recent writing.
I was watching X-men Origins : Wolverine at that part Gambit was fighting with Logan with his staff and Gambit did his energy transfer thing through his staff and something clicked.
Knockout.
Knockout with that electric staff in his first appearance in TF;P.
What the heck is even happening on the Lost Light on the first few pages?
Lulz the squabbles.
Brainstorm, stop with pinkie thing. Or nevermind, keep it.
Is Swerve watching Doctor Who? Swerve binge-watches Doctor Who. ONE OF US. ONE OF US.
Roberts is making fun of us binge-watchers!
Is that some deliberate META ROBERTS?!
A gong? Really Rodimus. So dramatic.
I like that Megs is standing at the back almost vibrating with annoyance.
Brainstorm’s gleefully playing with his ‘Uh-oh’ gadget.
Facepalming Megatron. FInally. I’m gonna make an avatar pic out of that.
What kind of wake is this. Pre-wake, sorry.
And at that moment I knew why I loved those three. I’d definitely sit the dance out too, looking utterly bored. Or at the very best happy that the others are enjoying themselves.
Love the panels of Rung, Nautica and Nightbeat getting bored.
Nightbeat’s expressions are gold.
Nightbeat seems fascinated by Firestar’s fiery head.
So what’s wrong with Skids?
That’s it. Nightbeat’s Sherlock.
I reiterate. What the heck is going on here?
I can’t... Sorry I just fell down the chair. Minimus this is no time to be talking about perfect grammar. Right on, First Aid.
Well here we are again.
What’s with JRo and the handsome corpses comment (Eugenesis mainly).
Ok wait is Thunderclash a vampire now, sucking all the life of his students?
Oh my god ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Those barnacle things are giving me the heebie jeebies.
Oh.
Alien infestation? Disgusting alien infestation that leeches off life from the Cybertronians?
Finally at home and free to enjoy this comic. Let’s do this.
So I was thinking, Tailgate’s hover board? Anything to do with Back to the Future again?
I don’t know how you did it JRo, but you made me sympathise with a Legislator in just a few pages.
‘Five words one never wants to hear...’ lulz
Rodimus what are you doing with Magnus’s name plate? Stop acting like a child-oh never mind.
I like through all this Perceptor’s just sitting there, musing, hand on chin.
Thinking about Brainstorm’s defense statement, I had wondered about the Cybertronians that aren’t too keen about being either Autobot or Decepticon. There had to be bots like that that aren’t NAILS, but then chose a side in the end because they can’t get off planet (like Prowl) or the pragmatic ones, like Brainstorm. Picking a side because they can serve them some benefits, and going with this, I’d assume these pragmatist would change sides as long as it serves their goal but with no spite, just practicality. Somehow that just suits what we know of Brainstorm, acting amoral with whatever sides because I don’t think he believes in any of the Decepticon or Autobots beliefs(?).
omg magnus’s nameplate
I see you still have your ego, Brainstorm. Glad that didn’t go away.
Oh look Perceptor totally appreciates him. Aww.
Brainstorm has a pretty strong defense, I must say.
And Megs hiding away like Rodimus before, funnily.
Wow Mirage that’s some classy bar.
Getaway, are you just projecting your insecurity you have with Tailgate or...you implanted some mics because that’s the sort of thing you spy people do when you’re bored? Man I don’t want to say what I see out loud here.
Sod. Off. Man Ratchet that was pretty sharp.
Is it just me or Nautica maybe had unconsciously adopted some of Brainstorm’s speech pattern? FANTASTIC.
Who took Magnus’s datapad? Mystery of the episode?
Oh. Drift.
Grandpa Ratchet, we have here.
That’s some terrible real name Brainstorm. No wonder you kept that nickname. Especially with that ego.
Ratchet’s hands. Oh. Okay this issue has lots of, uh, welp I’ll just go on.
I’m somewhat amused at what Ratchet was recommending to Swerve.
But Magnus that little figurine was an adorably sweet gesture. But then again as someone who knows how crippling insecurity feels, Magnus is definitely only preoccupied about the negative implication of that gift.
So Ten made that little Minimus figurine. I guess the fella did it as thanks for what Magnus was trying to persuade Swerve to do before.
Awwwww. Dammit JRo. Pulling my heartstrings like this. Wait where’s Swerve on that mural?
That’s it. Now it’s canon that there are Transformer figurines in the Transformers comic.
Yeah Drift would definitely be the type to be nice to Ten. Bless this blackened heart of mine.
Okay Ten’s very fond of Magnus/Minimus.
omg Magnus is a writer? No wonder the guy’s distressed when he lost that datapad.
Yay more Minimus! I know a lot of people love his moustache lulz
You know if Cyclonus knew Megatron would be reading his poetry in ‘Visages’ I bet he would be racing to be there as fast as he could.
Yay I prefer Brainstorm with the faceplate. Certainly gives more attention to they eyesXD. Hmm no faction badges?
‘Emotionally inarticulate’. Hmm. I bet a lot of us share that disability, huh.
Ominous signs of future events aside, Ravage carrying that briefcase looks so really...catlike. Like a cat bringing their owner their prey. I like this. And I never expect I’ll be saying this before, but Meg’s legs in that panel is nicely proportioned. Yeah that sounds awkward bye.
Better late than never, eh Ratchet. Finally a proper farewell after three attempts. Funnily a supposedly adult comic is somewhat giving me life lessons and well-told advice and it reached whatever depths my stone cold heart is residing. That doesn't happen often enough.
I love this issue. It’s not a tearjerker, it mists your feelings.
This is a pretty long post this time. I’m gonna stop talking now and reread the issue.
So I reread it, the dissonance wasn't that bad second time reading (I love mood whiplashes, but I have some personal biases here to deal with), in fact I love the feeling of surreal humour and someone in the TFW forums described it aptly, naming it the British surreal absurdist humour. I think it’s the manga-ish feel and body gesture tropes that threw me off from detecting that.
See I’ve been a long time manga reader and to me manga, no matter how realistic or serious have this distinct vibe to them that is very different from Western comics. The tropes, use of visual shortcut and atmosphere is different. I’ve delved into Western comics only recently but I could already trace differences between these two. Mediums that have mixed both of these style? successfully are quite a lot of current webcomics, whose artists I’m sure have enjoyed both mediums and mixed the sensibilities comfortably. And that is my deal with this issue. I seem to feel the artist can’t balance or show what is clearly a comic with a British sense of humour with (traditional? stereotypical?) manga visual expression. But that’s me.
And I like fans nicknaming Nickle the DJD’s Winry because that is so accurate.
Overall I love the issue, yeah it’s pretty straightforward and maybe readers who are used to JRo’s character hijinks are restless about it, but I liked that he tried something else. And this issue made me think about a lot of things,artist-wise and content-wise. It lacks the knee-jerk ‘ooooohh I like this issue’, maybe because we are familiar with Jro’s writing, but an interesting look at the highly bureaucratical off-time of the DJDs, something I find exceedingly funny now. Yep we need to torture these defectors, but FIRST the paperwork.
Which reminds me of Charles Stross’s the Laundry Files. Advanced mathematically made formula summoning Lovecraftian entities and we need to stop them before they destroy the world BUT FIRST paperwork. Or else we can’t give you permission to save the world.
Come to think of it the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy also made fun of that.
