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ultramagnus1
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| Posted: 27 January 2010 at 10:40am | IP Logged
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Hi all
After what feels like an age one of the most anticipated issues in the transformer comic run is here and i feel i have to post some sort of review of the new changes. I know skyquake will review it elsewhere but i just had to get my thaughts down
To quote a line from alien 3 " this is rumour control here are the facts"
1 The issue is a lot slimmer. the page count has dropped dramatically as predicted
2 There is now only one story with no back up strips a bit like titans gi joe and terminator comic
3 the story is a one off and to my delight features an autobot i recently boughtas a display figure Jolt who is only in 3 scenes in the movie. Optimus prime and ironhide also feature in a story set in vegas and penned by simon furman
4 Original artwork for the cover featuring ironhide
5 revenge of the fallen is dropped from the title its now just transformers
6 next issue features optimus being hunted from what i can see reminiscent maybe of the classic prey story from the original comoc run and an episode of the g1 comic which featured a hunter after prime.
Usual letters page and theres a cool design a transformer competition where the winners will feature in a two page strip where the best autobot will fight the best designed decepticon
the inside cover features an optimus prime mask for kids to cut out which will destroy the cover. Why it was put there is anybodys guess and there is the usual missle launcher rubbish
Overall its ok but i hope they return to epic storylines and not one off stories. We will have to see. I give it 3 out of 5 largely because jolt and prime is in the story
Till all are one
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ultramagnus1
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| Posted: 27 January 2010 at 11:43am | IP Logged
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one big thing i forgot to mention and its a biggie. while in vegas jolt gets to fight against...... Bludgeon. Couldnt believe it. one of the coolest later day decepticons to appear in the original uk and us comics he has been slightly remodelled but still recognisable. hes class. who wins? well u will have to just read the issue wont you. young kids wont recognise him but us older fans do. hats off to furman for including him and not one of the movie decepticons. there maybe hope yet that we may see other classic transformers in addition to the newer ones
Till all are one
Ps this puts my mark to 4 out of 5
Edited by ultramagnus1 on 27 January 2010 at 11:44am
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Skyquake87
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| Posted: 27 January 2010 at 8:31pm | IP Logged
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I will put my thoughts here! (and why not?!)
I'll get to the whole slimming down thing in a minute, but first...the strip!
This has got to be the best UK originated strip...in...ooh..EVER! Pacy, fun and fast! Praise be, Furman seems to have rediscovered some sort of 'love' for this pocket of the TF Universe. The story isn't startlingly original, if we're honest, Jolt is a wild new recruit to the Autobot mission on Earth and makes a big old mess persuing a Decepticon (that red and blue scout class one), before learning a valuable lesson when he comes up against Bludgeon in Vegas. So why is it so good? Well, its just fun. A nice, punchy character piece with some hints of things to come - what is Bludgeon up to in the desert? will that irritating US Senator succeed in shutting N.E.S.T down?
Jon - Davis Hunt does himself proud this issue, with some excellent scene-stealing renderings of Bludgeon (in one of those look at this cool toy that might not show up in the UK!!!), and making those complex movie-faces a bit more expressive. Good show!
The letters page is expanded (hooray!) - mind you, they've the space for it now. There's a nice feature on aircraft carriers and the usual jumble of puzzles and what have you. Sadly, the humourless Star Signs remain. BOOO!    
There's the usual waste of resources that make up the free gift, and another oversized cover which has got crumpled in the post. Nice bit of original cover art though!
Somehow, this manages to fill 32 pages but it really could use a back up strip. A single originated strip does not make this worth forking out £2.70 for, unfortunately. I wonder if Titan still own the rights to the old Marvel material? If they do, couldn't they run a few of those as a back up? There's such a lot of stuff I'd like to know about why they have jettisoned the back up. Is it because Titan are spreading themselves a little thin by launching so many titles to tie in with any flash in the pan film that comes along? I'm sure titan wont fall foul of the mistakes Marvel UK once made by expanding too quickly without the resources to back them up, but still...
Overall, I'd rate this 4/5 for the strip, but 3/5 for the comic overall.
Edited by Skyquake87 on 27 January 2010 at 8:34pm
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ultramagnus1
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| Posted: 28 January 2010 at 10:45am | IP Logged
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Hi skyquake
Sorry for stealing ur thunder by reviewing this issue. it wasnt my intention i just felt i had to review it. The decepticon that they chase is reverb i think. i have him in my collection. Its probably not worth the current price but i will still look forward to it. evrerything u say as always is spot on. it was a colourful story and i wonder will we see octopunch and stranglehold in future issue. Bludgeon never went anywhere without those and it would be nostalgioa heavcen for us older fans. i never vsaw his toy over here but it would be cool if hasbro released him but would he sell? Probbaly not as the kids ouldnt know him. Jolt isa cool toy and looks cool in my display. i almopst decided to recreate the chase with jolt and reverb but didnt. Thta would be taking it far. i am in my mid thirties after all. I hope skyquake we can be mates on here as i value your contribution. You know your stuff and have an objective view about the comic and other transformers related issues
Till all are one
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Skyquake87
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| Posted: 28 January 2010 at 6:28pm | IP Logged
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review away, my friend! i'm not precious 
The G1 Bludgeon was a pretty crappy toy all in all, so I can't see a reissue on the cards. He only has cache thanks to Furman developing a quickly forgotten character into something other than another shelf warmer (unlike the rest of the pretenders).
The ROTF Bludgeon toy is excellent, on the other hand - and whether kids know who he is or not, its nice to see him pop up in this comic!
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Son of Grimbo
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| Posted: 28 January 2010 at 6:30pm | IP Logged
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Skyquake87 wrote:
I wonder if Titan still own the rights to the old Marvel material? If they do, couldn't they run a few of those as a back up?
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They could colour and run the five page black and white strips from the end of the Marvel UK run - the lighthearted Earthforce stories would fit right in.
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Skyquake87
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| Posted: 28 January 2010 at 7:40pm | IP Logged
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Exactly!
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ultramagnus1
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| Posted: 29 January 2010 at 9:51am | IP Logged
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Yes the black and white stories were cool, maybe aspects of evil or when the decepticons hunted renegade decepticons carnivac and catilla in the aftermath of the time wars saga when they teamed up with springer and the remnants of the wreckers. The problem with this is kids wont know whats going on or who some of these characters are. those stories reference stories from the past and only old school fans woyuld know what was going on but those black and white stories were cool. they were snappy punchy character driven stories with some action thrown in. they could give it a go and see what the reaction is. im for it but would young kids like the idea of black and white stories or could they be reprinted in full colour this time. Interesting........
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Skyquake87
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| Posted: 29 January 2010 at 8:23pm | IP Logged
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well, the whole carnivac black and white strips were reprinted in colour in the 1992 Transformers Annual. I was just thinking, they could pluck out odd runs of stories to back up the new strip, in the style of collected comics. I don't think you'd need worry so much about whether kids 'get it' or not. The Beast Wars strip referenced a TV show that a good portion of the "target audience" probably weren't around for, and All Hail Megatron likewise dipped into a cartoon and comic book run thats probably largely unfamiliar to UK readers.
I'm not so sure kids these days digest comics in the same way we do, either. I was having a look in W H Smug at the kids comics, and its quite sad to see them moving away from traditional comics into some weird kind of puzzle-book with pictures format. The Dandy, in particular, is unrecognisable from what it was even 10 years ago, being this odd booty bag full of sweets, plastic nonsense, the phrase "Xtreme" and - in a telling sign - a smaller 'classic comics' digest book full of those great old strips they used to do before this depressing need to somehow compete with video games took over and spoilt things, because "thats what kids are interested in these days."
Another thing thats interesting is the tone of comics these days. Lets take, for example, Doctor Who Adventures. Apart from the usual mess of bold, loud fonts bellowing at you on every page, with maybe four lines of text about a given item and a massive picture, the comic strip itself is written in a very simple, almost Ladybird book style, and the artwork is similarly toned down and made simpler for kids. I wonder where this method of thinking has come from? That children can't grasp more complex/detailed stories and art? Its a really strange thing to behold. Its like the whole UK comics industry is geared towards selling to nursery age children - moreso than ever before - as if to somehow grab the market before they grow older and move onto video games. I think that by targetting comics in this way, the various publishers may actually be doing themselves a diservice - there's nothing to keep a 7
, 8 (and above) year old mind interested and engaged in the material they are given. Thus they do move onto other things. Its a real shame that no one seems to want to change this - even with just one or two titles. After all, its a big jump from this kind of 'emptiness' to 2000AD.
Edited by Skyquake87 on 29 January 2010 at 8:26pm
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Son of Grimbo
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| Posted: 30 January 2010 at 4:00pm | IP Logged
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ultramagnus1 wrote:
| The problem with this is kids wont know whats going on or who some of these characters are. those stories reference stories from the past and only old school fans woyuld know what was going on but those black and white stories were cool. |
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Precisely wht I thought of the later Earthforce stories in particular, from Starting Over onwards - after that there were hardly any references to the past Marvel run, and all the readers need to know is that a band of Autobots is guarding Earth against a band of Decepticons.
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ultramagnus1
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| Posted: 01 February 2010 at 9:53am | IP Logged
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Indeed it has to be said that a quick intro could say
that a group of autobots have set themselves up and are
working ndercover to report on decepticon activity and
have called themselves earthforce thus leading in to the
reprints.
Comics are alot more juvenile then in the mid eighties
and publishers are insulting their readers with in your
face bold typeface and in your face colours with juvenile
stories. Kids are obsessed with video games but we can
have a happy medium where the comics are a bit more
mature in layout and are not talking down to kids. thats
what was great about the original uk comic it didnt talk
down to its readers
Till all are one
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Son of Grimbo
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| Posted: 01 February 2010 at 7:00pm | IP Logged
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Was just thinking that exact same thing. I don't think the strips themselves are juvenile (a bit too slight compared to Furman's earlier epic style, but I guess that's more to do with not knowing where the next movie will be going), but the rest of the comic certainly is, and it also treats the strip like an afterthought, like the publishers don't trust that the target readership would be too interested in the comic itself and so surround it with lots of guff and make it all garish to stand out. Shame
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Skyquake87
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| Posted: 01 February 2010 at 9:31pm | IP Logged
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Nail on the head there folks. For what I can see, of comics aimed at boys (like Transformers,G.I. Joe and so on) - they're quite serious stuff, so why are they pitched at the same audience that might buy Dora The Explorer? I took a step back from the comics display in WH smith, and it looks like a packet of skittles, with all the comics blending into one - demented neon sea of shouting, grasping free gift, poly bagged amorphous blob!
Whats also saddening is that there are some creative types working away on these titles who take the stuff they're working on seriously, (visible on Transformers in the editorials and letters page) yet they seem to have some have some awful 'house style' imposed on them.
Its particularly sad considering how different Transformers looked on its launch back in 2007. Well, more sober and understated compared to stuff that surrounds it.
On the flipside, there are more letters printed from younger readers than any other age group so maybe we're all wrong..?
Perhaps this truly is the sorry state British comics are in these days.
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ultramagnus1
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| Posted: 02 February 2010 at 1:19pm | IP Logged
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Indeed i think the industry itself is just about holding
in there despite the sea of titles that appear to b out
there. One reason could be the recession( just look at
how long transformers animated lasted) and really
interesting that after hyping up the comic before launch
neither the series or the comic ever got a mention after
they ran those few stories. Is as if it never existed.
the toys arent advertised or the series so kids dont know
when its on if it still even is
Kids have too many other things competing for their time
now and it would appear that only bold bright colours
will attract the kids at the newsstand and the fact that
magor retail outlets wont stock a comic unless it has
afree gift. thts aa true sign of the state of the
industry. in the old days gifts wre a rareity. You didnt
need them to sell a publication bit apparently you do
now' we are constantly being told that kids of today are
more grown up and mature then they ever were but the
comic industry is taking the opposite view it would seem.
Id imagine that in 10 years time maybe less the comic
industry will disappear as we know it and all comics will
b available digitally online or in specialist shops or
not at all. it would not surprise me
Till all are one
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Skyquake87
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| Posted: 02 February 2010 at 2:55pm | IP Logged
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It could be a combination of those factors - economic decline and relative appeal. British comics are firmly targetted at the nursery age range, and during the recession I'm sure parents can find a lot more pressing things to spend £2.70 on.
I'm also curious as to how well those Digest format reprints do (Panini covering Marvel, with Titan doing Batman and Superman). They seem to be stocked in the main only at WH Smiths and newsagents of a similar ilk (not seen them in Waterstones). Now, those are comics that are targetted outside the nursery age bracket (along with, oddly enough, the long running Spectacluar Spiderman, or whatever the A4 title is called - which still carries horrible plastic guff on the cover), but seem only to be available in larger newsagent chains! They also seem to be stocked alongside magazines - I frequently find them nuzzled next to SFX, Neo and the like. I'm sure this either to do with demographics or retailer demand, but if thats the case, why can I pick up Commando (similarly targetted at those over 6) next to Spongebob?
This suggests there is a market out there at UK retail, but there seems to be two distinctly different approaches. I wonder how many more readers you'd attract to a title if you pitched to both these readerships? It would certainly go someway to alleviate the stigma we have in the UK that comics are just to be treasured whilst you're a pre-schooler.
Edited by Skyquake87 on 02 February 2010 at 3:24pm
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ultramagnus1
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| Posted: 03 February 2010 at 1:34pm | IP Logged
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Yes it would appear sometimes that comics are stocked in
the most unlikely of places in bookstores. i think the
average person thinks comics are for kids when we all
know the amount of adults who cherish comics and go to
comic conventions and shop in specialist stores for that
elusive marvel or dc title is quite remarkable. The
industry is suffering but how shops stack them isnt
helping.
On a side note my long elusive search for a voyager class
optimus prime may and i stress may be coming to an end.
im reluctant to pay crazy money on amazon for one but i
may have tracked one down to a toy shop. Ill know in the
next day or so. i need him to complete my collection that
includes sideswipe, dead end, jolt reverb, megatron,
barricade mixmaster and stratosphere and a small legend
class optimus. Fingers crossed.
I wonder will we get a return to epic storylines in the
uk comic and did u hear that there are discussions to
film the next movie in 3d but bay isnt sure
Till all are one
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Son of Grimbo
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| Posted: 06 February 2010 at 3:52pm | IP Logged
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ultramagnus1 wrote:
6 next issue features optimus being hunted from what i can see reminiscent maybe of the classic prey story from the original comoc run and an episode of the g1 comic which featured a hunter after prime.
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Anybody else thinking that maybe ROTF Lockdown will be making his comic debut there...?
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Transformers Forum : Transformers Comics
Topic: Transformers UK 2.9
