Transformers: RID #12 Review

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:09 pm

So, I read this a while ago and don't remember exactly what happened and I don't have it in front of me. Therefore, I will assume it wasn't that good.

I remember Arcee hanging upside down from the ceiling like a bat. Please someone shoot her ass down from there once and for all.

I remember Wheeljack getting attacked by a mob of Decepticons inspired by Megatron's return.

I remember Jazz playing the bass guitar. So that's where he's been this whole time. Er, yeah, I guess that fits his character just right. "Let me just hang out in the local bar and let Bumbleebee and Prowl take care of things. I'm just going chill and be smooooooooooth."

This series just drags. It really does. It's dipping into Costa territory at times, which is scary. I enjoyed that half-issue Roche Prowl way back more than anything I've seen from Barber in a year of issues.

I know it won't happen, but how sweet would it be if Roche took over this series in conjunction with Roberts? I know, beggars can't be choosers.

Give it a "C-".

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Sat Dec 15, 2012 9:09 pm

I too read this issue a while ago. Quite weak. MEGATRON.....shows up, gets blasted to no effect, goes into custody/medical, and he's not touched on again.

This whole thing right now reads like more mature than the original cartoon but less mature than the comic. I'm SO not interested in Starscream and Prowl: they're overused, they're still operating more or less in character, and they have no depth. So far the series has been "Oooh Prowl, what's he up to? Seems a bit gruff doesn't he? Taking things a bit far, isn't he? Conniving with Arcee, no?" Now we're supposed to be excited about this whole "NewProwl," and I'm just not.

The only thing I consistently like is Wheeljack, and that's not even because he's a fresh or non-cliche version of him, it's just because the stereotypical Wheeljack NEVER gets enough screen time for me.

Jack Cade · Post by **Jack Cade** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 7:53 pm

Agree with Yaya mostly.

The hope that Barber is going to suddenly pull a blinder and make everything come out good is just getting to be more and more of a pinprick.

I literally have no idea why the first thing Bumblebee and Prowl didn't do was throw Shockwave, Soundwave and other principle Decepticon figures in jail awaiting trial for war crimes, and let the grunts go only with the caveat of: "One foot out of line and we'll come down hard on you."

Why the absurd pretence that the Decepticons have the right to be treated as ordinary citizens, and must be all treated equal to each other? They're all let out at once, and then all the inhibitors come off at once. And now we have Prowl concocting convoluted plans just to imprison or 'remove' bots who should have been thrown in the clink from day one.

Where the hell are all the other Autobots? It's like they're a skeleton crew. Bumblebee literally has an army of veterans at his disposal, all of whom are au fait with a command structure and many of whom are probably specialists in black ops and counter-intelligence, and yet he has no idea what the Decepticons are up to - no kind of intelligence network at all. Megatron shows up, and Bumblebee counters with a small squad??

Barber's premise seems so simple and so rich: the war-weary Autobot army rebuilding/occupying the one settlement in a desolate world, flooded with new arrivals, treading the line between an authoritarian regime and total anarchy, while those Decepticons remaining loyal to their high command form terror cells.

There's so much in that: Autobots wounding/killing genuinely reformed Decepticons and having to be disciplined/expelled, despite their mistake being somewhat understandable. Propaganda wars, as Decepticon cells try to fan the flames of discontent while the Autobots publicise the war crime trials of Shockwave, Soundwave and Starscream. Deals being cut. Autobots who want to leave being pressed back into service as their regime is stretched thin. Low resources keeping parts of the settlement balanced on the cusp of riots. A reemerging senatorial class, cunning and manipulative, hoping to ride the wave of discontent to positions of power and privilege.

All this to play with. I just do not understand how it's ending up being so draggy and unsatisfying.

Post by **Kaylee** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:58 pm

So.... dull... why didn't the Autobots kill Megratron then and there?

Hot Shot · Post by **Hot Shot** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:46 pm

Karl wrote:So.... dull... why didn't the Autobots kill Megratron then and there?

Probably because the Decepticons would've rioted.

Whoops.

Post by **Kaylee** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 7:23 pm

Hot Shot wrote:
Karl wrote:So.... dull... why didn't the Autobots kill Megratron then and there?
Probably because the Decepticons would've rioted.

Whoops.

Yeah, pretty much. They rioted anyway and it's as plain as vanilla that Megsyboo is going to be up and around again very soon destroying the goddamned universe. Might as well have killed him then and there.

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 11:24 pm

I liked the scene with Squawkbox and Octane in the bar, Wheeljack was okay and the bit where Bumblebee ordered them to kill Megs certainly got my attention...but weren't the Decepticons carrying Screamer shoulder-high the other week and calling him the one to unify Cybertron?

So long, Staxx.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:31 am

I remember a really good cover that my store never got.

bumblemusprime · Post by **bumblemusprime** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:01 pm

There's so much in that: Autobots wounding/killing genuinely reformed Decepticons and having to be disciplined/expelled, despite their mistake being somewhat understandable. Propaganda wars, as Decepticon cells try to fan the flames of discontent while the Autobots publicise the war crime trials of Shockwave, Soundwave and Starscream. Deals being cut. Autobots who want to leave being pressed back into service as their regime is stretched thin. Low resources keeping parts of the settlement balanced on the cusp of riots. A reemerging senatorial class, cunning and manipulative, hoping to ride the wave of discontent to positions of power and privilege.

All this to play with. I just do not understand how it's ending up being so draggy and unsatisfying.

This! This this this this. I know a half-dozen semi-pro writers who could do wonders with Cybertron as it stands, but Barber seems to be floundering.

I don't see where the equilibrium is, how things happen, how Bee, Metalhawk and Starscream have been making decisions... all those little details. Remember the horrible yet somehow fascinating bureaucracy Tyrion had to deal with as the Hand of the King? Yeah, we can't have taxes on whores with Cybertron, but all the other malarkey applies.

Sunyavadin · Post by **Sunyavadin** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:00 pm

^THIS^

It's like they somehow managed to make the plot of Game of Thrones boring.