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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
These guys at IDW blow my mind every. Single. Time. Prowl needs to stop thinking for five hours so I can catch up.
Well, things are back on track! I knew my conflicting feelings about the last volume of Robots in Disguise couldn't last forever. Really, I just needed some forward movement and... well... John Barber gave me a lot of that in this volume. Holy moly, did he ever. I think the panel below is probably the best example of the amped up tension that hits these pages. Megatron is back, and things are getting heated. There is so much death and destruction here, and at the center of it all is the fact that the fighting just never ends because prejudices always exist. Loyalties always exist.
Mostly I feel sorry for Bee, who up to this point has really done everything in his power to keep the peace on Cybertron. This story repeatedly points out the fact that when it comes to politics, and power struggles, there is really never a correct choice. Bee's heart is in every choice he makes but, as he says below, it doesn't really end up counting for anything. What a terrible lesson to learn.
There is of course a ton of action in this volume too. The Dinobots and Ironhide came back! You have no idea how happy that made me, since I adore Ironhide and missed him.Oh, and Arcee! I told you before that she's pretty much my favorite in this series. This volume sealed the deal. I love stories where there's this crazy gray area in between the stark black and white. Arcee falls right into that space. Looking out for number one, but not always. It's crazy, but I love it.
The final fight scene in this just floored me. Guys, let me tell you, this is getting good. I wasn't sure I was a fan of all the political intrigue flying around on the pages, but the ending of this particular volume changed all of that. I can't wait to get to the next one, and find out what happens to our heroes. I'm thinking it will be nothing good.
Mostly I feel sorry for Bee, who up to this point has really done everything in his power to keep the peace on Cybertron. This story repeatedly points out the fact that when it comes to politics, and power struggles, there is really never a correct choice. Bee's heart is in every choice he makes but, as he says below, it doesn't really end up counting for anything. What a terrible lesson to learn.
There is of course a ton of action in this volume too. The Dinobots and Ironhide came back! You have no idea how happy that made me, since I adore Ironhide and missed him.Oh, and Arcee! I told you before that she's pretty much my favorite in this series. This volume sealed the deal. I love stories where there's this crazy gray area in between the stark black and white. Arcee falls right into that space. Looking out for number one, but not always. It's crazy, but I love it.
The final fight scene in this just floored me. Guys, let me tell you, this is getting good. I wasn't sure I was a fan of all the political intrigue flying around on the pages, but the ending of this particular volume changed all of that. I can't wait to get to the next one, and find out what happens to our heroes. I'm thinking it will be nothing good.
"JOSH BOYFRIEND, a male Earth human who is handsome like an F-22 jet fighter..."
The story kicked into high gear with amazing twists and turns. If I didn't start reading it so late (intending one more issue after finishing the 2nd half of Vol. 3), I would've read it in one sitting.
The series keeps building out its deep story arcs and history, expanding off the distant past. I continue to find new appreciation for characters. Soundwave, and even the Constructicons, left an impression this volume. Very much a build-up to the Dark Cybertron crossover.
I liked it just as much as MTMTE. More political, but the characters are just as good.
Definitely more of a lead-in to Dark Cybertron than MTMTE volume 5.
Definitely more of a lead-in to Dark Cybertron than MTMTE volume 5.
*Sigh*
I know this is supposed to be interesting and all because, hey, it's Transformers, it's Starscream, it's Bumblebee and Prowl and Ironhide. But I'm telling you, this power-play plot about a political war just isn't as interesting or cleverly written as James Roberts More Than Meets the Eye.
Megatron is back and it turns out he plays a bigger role in this political game than everyone thought, but I found myself very bored. I'm honestly shamed to say that because I'm a major TF junkie who can't go a few days without SOME kind of Transformers influence (music, games, show, books, etc.), but what I really look forward to is the raw emotions of the characters and how that comes into play with the plot. There is a pretty iconic moment in the conclusion of this volume that should have you going, "Whaaaaaa?!" But since I read Dark Cybertron before all the other volumes, I knew what was coming (again, not my fault).
This volume was much more intense than the 3rd volume, but didn't pack the punch I thought it might. Still a must for my collection though.
I know this is supposed to be interesting and all because, hey, it's Transformers, it's Starscream, it's Bumblebee and Prowl and Ironhide. But I'm telling you, this power-play plot about a political war just isn't as interesting or cleverly written as James Roberts More Than Meets the Eye.
Megatron is back and it turns out he plays a bigger role in this political game than everyone thought, but I found myself very bored. I'm honestly shamed to say that because I'm a major TF junkie who can't go a few days without SOME kind of Transformers influence (music, games, show, books, etc.), but what I really look forward to is the raw emotions of the characters and how that comes into play with the plot. There is a pretty iconic moment in the conclusion of this volume that should have you going, "Whaaaaaa?!" But since I read Dark Cybertron before all the other volumes, I knew what was coming (again, not my fault).
This volume was much more intense than the 3rd volume, but didn't pack the punch I thought it might. Still a must for my collection though.
Man, I didn’t realize how hard of a time I’ve been giving the Robots in Disguise series.
My problem was that I was being biased toward the More Than Meets the Eye series and expecting just as much emotional stamina from RiD. But being the emotionless person I am I was getting frustrated with each volume I read and continued to have a bad attitude. I went over my reviews for the previous volumes before reviewing this one and skimmed through those volumes. With a cumulative point of view on the RiD plotline, I now have a better appreciation for Barber’s writing and understand what is really going on.
This volume covers issues #17 - #22 and I had read issues 17 and 20 before I got the actual volume (minor comic store pick-ups just for kicks). Yes, this continues from the 4th volume with the fate of Bumblebee and those loyal to him determined by Starscream, but this volume begins and ends with Shockwave and his connection to starting Dark Cybertron—it’s ALL ABOUT SHOCKWAVE. That’s important and freaking awesome simultaneously. Although the last two issues surprised me the most because they actually turned out to be about Soundwave. Never, in all the books, comic books, TV series, or games have I ever understood Soundwave’s personality and angle at being loyal to Megatron as I have in issues 21 and 22. Being that these modern IDW series’ reinvent all the classic Transformers characters in ways we could never think, Soundwave is not the cold-minded, monotonously-voiced Decepticon everybody knows. He is actually a very sensitive character that is tuned into the emotions of other beings and has a strong sense of honor. He has hope for a better future with Megatron leading a world of equality and has a personal relationship with Ravage and his other cassettesas it turns out they are the ones who helped him cope with his emotional abilities . This was something I did not expect and was thoroughly pleased with. Shockwave’s a badass and Soundwave is an emotional soldier. Love it.
Barber is a realistic writer, conducting a plot that no Transformers series has seen before and having the characters in play speak and act with individualism that we’d see in the real world; compared to James Roberts’ colorful style of hilarious and gripping dialogue and character situation that dwells more on the pathos of the reader. Sorry, John Barber. It just happened to be that time of the month every time I read a RiD volume. I fully embrace this series as it is supposed to be. Hopefully I have learned my lesson and continue to mature while reading…well, pretty much everything.
My problem was that I was being biased toward the More Than Meets the Eye series and expecting just as much emotional stamina from RiD. But being the emotionless person I am I was getting frustrated with each volume I read and continued to have a bad attitude. I went over my reviews for the previous volumes before reviewing this one and skimmed through those volumes. With a cumulative point of view on the RiD plotline, I now have a better appreciation for Barber’s writing and understand what is really going on.
This volume covers issues #17 - #22 and I had read issues 17 and 20 before I got the actual volume (minor comic store pick-ups just for kicks). Yes, this continues from the 4th volume with the fate of Bumblebee and those loyal to him determined by Starscream, but this volume begins and ends with Shockwave and his connection to starting Dark Cybertron—it’s ALL ABOUT SHOCKWAVE. That’s important and freaking awesome simultaneously. Although the last two issues surprised me the most because they actually turned out to be about Soundwave. Never, in all the books, comic books, TV series, or games have I ever understood Soundwave’s personality and angle at being loyal to Megatron as I have in issues 21 and 22. Being that these modern IDW series’ reinvent all the classic Transformers characters in ways we could never think, Soundwave is not the cold-minded, monotonously-voiced Decepticon everybody knows. He is actually a very sensitive character that is tuned into the emotions of other beings and has a strong sense of honor. He has hope for a better future with Megatron leading a world of equality and has a personal relationship with Ravage and his other cassettes
Barber is a realistic writer, conducting a plot that no Transformers series has seen before and having the characters in play speak and act with individualism that we’d see in the real world; compared to James Roberts’ colorful style of hilarious and gripping dialogue and character situation that dwells more on the pathos of the reader. Sorry, John Barber. It just happened to be that time of the month every time I read a RiD volume. I fully embrace this series as it is supposed to be. Hopefully I have learned my lesson and continue to mature while reading…well, pretty much everything.