Canadian Slag Episode 20 - OMG WTF IDW

[GMfan]

Breaking from the usual mold the Slaggers have an episode to themselves to express their latest feelings about the current state of IDW comics. Long time readers Chris, Daniel, and Mindy analyze IDW's work from the beginning to their latest endeavors for an all out discussion about the good times, the bad times, some things you may not know, and of course Drift. We all know he deserves a discussion on his own. Also TFcon 2010 has been announced so get ready for Canada's largest gathering of Transformers toys and Transformers fans.

[GMfan]

OMG GMfan edited an episode?!
[/URL] Episode 20 - OMG WTF IDW (http://www.mediafire.com/?q052ljdgroj)
Host: Chris (GMfan101) w/ Daniel (Protoman), and Mindy (artoni)
- Transformers Ongoing/Continuum Discussion
- Tales of the Fallen Discussion
- Back in the day...
- Pimpin TFcon

DOWNLOAD NOW (http://www.cybertron.ca/podcast/Canadian%20Slag%2020%20-%20OMG%20WTF%20IDW.mp3)

PS: We [U]apologize for our absence for a month, we're continuing on working towards something great...it's....paaaartially working right now but once we work the kinks out of everything we promise it'll make our listeners happy.

Also don't forget new listeners to join our Canadian Slag lounge (http://www.cybertron.ca/boards/group.php?groupid=5) for us to cover any topic that may interest you. We are equipped ;)

[soundwaveCA]

We have a podcast here?!

[GMfan]

Apparently....I swore those other 19 episodes were fabrications of my imagination.

[UltraPrimal]

We have a podcast here?!
I seem to remember something about a podcast on here. It's been so long. Maybe they should make some posters and sell them at the next Transformers convention in Canada, whenever that is. Then people can buy them and have everybody sign them. That would help them remember the podcast.

[GMfan]

Maybe they should make some posters and sell them at the next Transformers convention in Canada, whenever that is. Then people can buy them and have everybody sign them. That would help them remember the podcast.

Now I know that didn't happen.....right?

[Code of Honor]

Sorry listeners this was my fault, well more my old broken down computers fault. I am no longer editing the show, but hope to get back to it when I get a new computer in the new year. Hopefully an iMac or a Macbook pro.

[Cliffjumper69]

Great episode! Just when I get out of Canadian Slag rehab BAM! I relapse. :p

Also, whats the 411 with Pat Lee!?!?!? All I got was he stole Jazz and fled to Japan??? :confused:


CJ

[GMfan]

Last I heard he's still hiding *cough working in China doing art. I saw some pics of him somewhere at one of his premiers coked out of his mind...gotta find those. He comes back to TO every now and again to visit family but most of the time he's over there. I think he was also dating "Mrs Hong Kong" for a while but I think eventually she moved on...I can imagine him walking away from the table every time the bill came...

[Stapler]

That was nice episode with some very frank discussion. I've been considering getting back into the TF comics via TPB's. I've mostly have my eye's on the G1 Marvel collections and the War Within omnibus.

[Aernaroth]

That was nice episode with some very frank discussion. I've been considering getting back into the TF comics via TPB's. I've mostly have my eye's on the G1 Marvel collections and the War Within omnibus.

The G1 marvel collections are nice, but due to trademark issues, there are some issues they can't print in full, and it kind of breaks up the flow of the story. I cant recall if the Titan books had the same problem.

[Paradigm-Shift Prime]

Good stuff.

B-day TFCon!!!

[GMfan]

That was nice episode with some very frank discussion. I've been considering getting back into the TF comics via TPB's. I've mostly have my eye's on the G1 Marvel collections and the War Within omnibus.
The G1 marvel collections are nice, but due to trademark issues, there are some issues they can't print in full, and it kind of breaks up the flow of the story. I cant recall if the Titan books had the same problem.

More or less what he said. I think one of the major issues is Circuit Breaker because she's owned by Marvel. I got the original Marvel stuff they printed but I think IDW's issue one was like issue 4 and suddenly they were on to the smelting pool story line with Blaster (???). What is a pretty good bang for your buck though if you want retro stuff go for the UK reprints (aka best of the UK) like Target: 2006, etc.

Good stuff.

B-day TFCon!!!

Seems to be the case for a lot of people this year...a lot of parents found ways to keep warm in November I guess....

[omegalaw]

Great job summing up IDWs fatal faults, I wish that they would get their excrement together so I had a more established and expansive universe to follow. Unless they do I know I will not be picking up another book.

[Shockwave 75]

A good episode. Most of what Daniel said mirrors how I feel about the IDW books. Mostly how they seem to be completely ignoring everything that has been established for these characters just to do "new things".

Some, hopefully constructive, criticisms; Daniel needs to sit closer to the microphone, or get a better one than he's using because it was often difficult to hear what he was saying (which will be addressed again later), and please, for the love of god, please keep Mindy from SCREAMING into the mic! "DAMMIT!!" and "I'M NOT THAT KIND OF FANGIRL!!!", and others almost blew my friggin' speakers!

Also, and I'm sure it's hard not to, but please try not to talk over each other so often. If it wasn't missing a good point that Daniel was making because Chris and Mindy were having their own side conversation; which comes back to Daniel either needing to sit closer to the, or get a completely new, mic, then it was not being able to hear what anybody was saying because you were all talking, and others screaming, all at once.

I don't say these things out of hate, but out of love. I have really just started listening to these podcasts and I really enjoy them. I just want to see (or hear in this case) them get better.

[TMIIWonkoNemises]

Now I'm incredibly thankful that I didn't bother reading the IDW Comics...otherwise I'd be ranting like the rest of you guys...not like that's a bad thing or anything.

.....I heard that snicker when Beast Machines was mentioned....:p

I guess I'm one of the 10% that don't care about the 80s Transformers...but rather,the ones from the 90s(lol).I don't find it as bothersome anymore that the current stories are G1-esque,however,I still care about better written TF Comics.It's inexcusable that they get away with the writing because of how well Transformers is selling right now.I grew up with a well written Transformers Series,so I expect...well,want for others to follow.

But it is true that about the casual Fans,but it's truly up to them if they want to explore the Franchise...have I not went to explore about certain aspects of G1,RiD,IDW,and DW...I would have been one of those casual Fans.I'm sorry that I can't really talk about the whole difference between IDW and DW and each of their accomplishments...but you did got me interested in picking up these DW Comics.

It seems that IDW is really spreading around in many directions and adapting former Series',which I'm guessing it's causing a huge mess in the Ongoing Comic.Of course this is due to bad editing and quick decisions.Although my assumptions are based entirely of little knowledge of what's going on(and correct me if I am wrong here)but if IDW want to go with new directions for the Ongoing Comic,would it have not been better to slowly move from one direction to another within each comic,instead of putting it all at once?It pretty much worked throughout the ongoing comics in Marvel and DC,which Andy did work on apparently...also...IDW could have followed a similar formula to the ongoing Marvel/DC Comics....but once again,this is due to poor editing and quick decisions.

On the Movieverse itself,I agreed with Daniel said that everyone coming out of the theatre don't go to get Movie stuff.Eventually I got some toys,but I still would rather favour the two TF Series I grew up with know well.Currently,I am disappointed with the direction of writing on all TF Series since the end of the Beast Era,and considering what you guys are saying about IDW,that direction of good writing has not yet returned...and guessing it might never come back.

I'm going to get off topic now,but I really wish that IDW should explore more untold areas that need to be written rather than what they're doing now.I agree that the Original Thirteen was something that I was looking forward to,and I wish that IDW will flesh out more stories that deserved to be told in terms of G1,since this is the most expansive.I'm reading the Marvel TF Comics right now,and I agree that Furman did a great job at that time...but this type of writing needs to go deeper,and I really hoped that IDW would do something like that now that they are handling storylines with G1 characters again,but for now...I'm going away from IDW,perhaps all TF Comics until they put their act together in terms of writing.I know you guys mentioned art as well...but I won't delve into that.

Okay,I'm done with my rant now.Great Podcast guys.


On an unrelated note:

'Soundtape and Dogbot'--Still never gets old.:D

[Cheers Ian]

Yep.

Drift is Poochie.

"Where's Drift?"

That's what everyone should be asking!

Cheers!
-Ian

[Cheers Ian]

On a side note...

Was the whole Sunstreaker/Hunter/Headmasters thing ever properly wrapped up?

Cause I sure missed it if it was...

Cheers!
-Ian

[Protoman]

Sorry about the shitty mic guys. It's a headset so I doubt it's cause I am too far....... it's just a bad mic, I need to get a new one. Thanks for the kind words.

[GMfan]

would it have not been better to slowly move from one direction to another within each comic,instead of putting it all at once?

Ya... probably... but really this is something the readers need to bring to Andy Schmidt's attention but honestly I think the guy is so full of himself he doesn't think he can possibly screw up anything... hell look how successful Continuum was!!!

On a side note...

Was the whole Sunstreaker/Hunter/Headmasters thing ever properly wrapped up?

Cause I sure missed it if it was...

Cheers!
-Ian

It was kinda wrapped up in Maximum Dinobots and All Hail Megatron. Basically in MD Ratchet was able to remove the bond between Hunter but Hunter still had the headmaster implants. In AHM somehow the Decepticons captured Hunter, tortured and extracted information about the Autobots from him, and after being found by Sideswipe hooked up to life support was "let go" and flat lined immediately.

[WhiteRabbit]

Most obvservations there were basically reasonable, despite how any story will sound like shit if you simplify it enough.

"Hardhead comes back as a Zombie!"... well, no, that's not exactly what happened-- but that's the best way to make it sound stupid alright. Not that I'm interested in defending what happened to that ill-fated storyline...

Would've been nice to hear some actual suggestions other than "lol, I wanna punch Andy Schmidt" though. That's about when I stopped taking the entire podcast the slightest bit seriously.

[GMfan]

Would've been nice to hear some actual suggestions other than "lol, I wanna punch Andy Schmidt" though. That's about when I stopped taking the entire podcast the slightest bit seriously.

That was an exaggeration, but honestly it's been mostly Andy's creative decisions that have been ruining the comics as of late so my frustration got the better of me with that. Seriously though if you'd like some real suggestions, Andy needs to pick a better artist on the movieverse other then Carlos Magno, get a better colourist on the Ongoing, or he needs to be removed from the picture as a whole.

I want Denton back :(

[Robimus]

So that was an hour long bitch fest that I honestly could have done without, seriously :mad:, but then I've always called it like I see...er,um...hear it with you guys(and Gals).:p

I'm someone who actually enjoyed a lot of aspects of IDW, overall continuity aside, I really felt like there was a lot of good stories that came out of those plot lines, alongside some obvious duds as well.

Overall I guess I would agree, the overreaching continuity doesn't work really great, but that really does happen in many franchises, particularly when more than one author is invloved in the writing process.

Thats why we have retcons in Star Wars, one huge continuity just is unable to survive without mistakes, individual authors having different takes on charcaters and events, so on.

I think thats what we've run into a couple times with IDW now. Different authors bringing their different spins to the characters and stories, thus making it end up like something that is patched together with duct tape and hope for higher sales.

I personally quite enjoyed the early Furman arcs in the story. I though Infiltration was really good, utilizing the core characters with the smart additions of Runabout and Runamuck as covert Decepticon agents on Earth.(Though their eventual deaths were not well thought out at all, I'll get to that.)

Infiltration and Escalation were really a nice, slow build. It felt like pieces were being moved into place for something fun. Some of the plot panned out, some didn't. I really thought the opening parts of Devestation with Sixshot were excellent, as was the build surrounding the Skorponok lead Machination.

For me the Dead Universe junk went no where, and instead of making a reputation for an autobot or two 'Bout and "Muck ended up killed by some goofy, non-Tranformer monster in kinda lame fashion. Thumbs down for that part from me.

I'm all for character death, even major character death in stories. I think it adds a lot to the feel and suspense, but do it in such a way that you are promoting other characters with the deaths.

So other than the Dead Universe arc I did enjoy the rest of the Furman plots, all the way to their rushed conclusion in the Dinobot books. They felt like a real story with a start, a middle and an end, not the meandering I usually associate with Comic books in general.

Adding to the main Furman arc were the spotlights in impressive fashion. How could someone not like the entire Ultra Magnus arc? From his re-imagining of his character into somewhat of a rogue lawbot with the excellent Swindle cameo and his eventual ties into the main arc with Skorponok?

I really liked the Six Shot spotlight as well even though it went all Dead Universe on me, I thought it really made out Sixshot to be the bad ass he needed to be. Cool stuff.

Spotlight Hotrod(and it subsequent plot with Double Dealer) really was another high for me. I loved how Hotrod was presented, how he lost his team and over compinsated with Dealer because of that incident. Again a nice, contained story even if it was intermingled with some stuff I didn't enjoy from the DU.

And picking on Hotrod because he plunged through the atmosphere(ala TFTM) is a pretty weak thing to be critical of Protoman :rolleyes:,I personally thought it was really cool.:cool:

Perhaps my favorite of all the Spotlights was the Wheelie oneshot. It was just a great little self contained story that could have fit as well as a G1 origin in 1984 for Wheelie as it did for the IDW verse. It has such a timeless, fun quality to it.

As for the other early Spotlights that I really enjoyed, Kup was a standout with a very dark, ambitious tale that I still feel is an excellent one shot by any standard.

Prime's, Shockwave's and Soundwave's were all fun as well, each in there own way. Ramjet's, well, his stunk. As well the Nightbeat/Hardhead arc wasn't something I really enjoyed.

Now moving on more into the AHM timeframe. I admit I had difficulty with the series at times. Thye gave away the Sunstreaker plot from the Furmanverse, at least in terms of him living long before. Shitty continuity, but thats what often happens when different authors get their fingers in the cookie jar.

There are numerous issues of AHM that I really did enjoy though, and just when I was really starting to get into it it up and ended............I still don't know how Prime went from dead to alive over the course of a couple panels.......

Spolight wise, AHM had some awesome ones. Jazz was my favorite of course with the great Bot single handly taking on and beating the Predacons.....(No it wasn't make believe, Jazz is just being modest:p). That was all kinds of awesome for Jazz fans.

The Blaster spotlight was really fun as well with a little who done it plot, and I really liked the Blurr Spotlight as an excellent one shot as well. Cliffjumper and Drift I really didn't take to, although I guess we had to have Drift's backstory appear someway, somehow.:rolleyes:

Max Dinobots served to complete the Furman plots in a loose way, tying up the Shockwave Spolight and Machination plots well enough. Again I liked that the plots had an end point, even if I felt it was rushed, even if some of the Dinobot stuff was really kinda meh.

Which brings us to Transformers #1. We'll see how that goes but thus far I reasonably interested, though it still feels more like a continuity reboot(just like AHM) than a continuation. I'm hopeful for interesting stories none the less.....

Continuity is truly not the be all, end all of a comic or book series, especially when most of the critcism seems to revolve around a single, crappy continuity book that had zero to do with the stories as a whole.

I think if one is to condemn IDW just because one or two of the jig saw pieces of the continuity don't fit together that, well, they are going to miss out on some really fun stories and interesting new takes of characters we've know for over 25 years.

I've still yet to read Stormbringer or Megatron Origins, but I'll get there.:)

[GMfan]

So that was an hour long bitch fest that I honestly could have done without, seriously :mad:, but then I've always called it like I see...er,um...hear it with you guys(and Gals).:p


Wasn't a total bitchfest... we covered a few things we liked but the main point was to cover the current issues and even then we left some stuff out :P But lemme take some time and read all ya wrote.

I personally quite enjoyed the early Furman arcs in the story....Infiltration and Escalation were really a nice, slow build. It felt like pieces were being moved into place for something fun. Some of the plot panned out, some didn't. I really thought the opening parts of Devestation with Sixshot were excellent, as was the build surrounding the Skorponok lead Machination.


See I'll agree with this, it was slow start but seemed they were reeeeally going somewhere cool with this but it all got pissed away come All Hail Megatron. All Hail Megatron had a good start but much of it felt sooo drawn out, and just when we thought it was over...we get 4 more issues (Schmidt's first genius idea, which he thinks saved the series...yaaaa). I think out of the 8 stories told in the coda books 2 or 3 were good.

How could someone not like the entire Ultra Magnus arc? From his re-imagining of his character into somewhat of a rogue lawbot with the excellent Swindle cameo and his eventual ties into the main arc with Skorponok?

Really? You don't think I liked that? :rolleyes: I've loved IDW's take on Ultra Magnus, his Spotlight was golden and bias aside one of the better ones. His brief appearance in Arcee (another great one) further showed his combat prowess and tactful he can be in capturing even the most insane and powerful tranny's...I mean Transformers....

Perhaps my favorite of all the Spotlights was the Wheelie oneshot. It was just a great little self contained story that could have fit as well as a G1 origin in 1984 for Wheelie as it did for the IDW verse. It has such a timeless, fun quality to it.


True, he had a good story but why his got mentioned in Continuum and not half the other characters with meaningful plot wise instead. Though who knows maybe he'll be coming back in some issue as most things in Continuum seems to foreshadow things to come.

Though 3 points that got excluded from reading Continuum that should have been mentioned if it was meant to inform new readers of things to com, 1) Metroplex's story was omitted totally which makes no sense considering it had an open ending and also written by Schmidt, 2) How Kup is kept sane with his "cigar" revealed in AHM 15 and call me crazy but I have a feeling that issue will be addressed in Wreckers, speaking of them 3) There's no mention of who or what the the Wreckers are at alllll and there were at least 2 opportunities to do so in the book.

It just seems sloppy. Couple this with the treatment of Tales of the Fallen and you got some frustrated readers (hence the episode)

The Blaster spotlight was really fun as well with a little who done it plot, and I really liked the Blurr Spotlight as an excellent one shot as well. Cliffjumper and Drift I really didn't take to, although I guess we had to have Drift's backstory appear someway, somehow.:rolleyes:


Blasters Spotlight happened loooong before AHM :P That aside Drift didn't need a spotlight, we the readers should have just assumed he was created cool and awesome, just as he first appeared, and just he will die, in a fiery storm of cool and awesome. (j/ks)

I think if one is to condemn IDW just because one or two of the jig saw pieces of the continuity don't fit together that, well, they are going to miss out on some really fun stories and interesting new takes of characters we've know for over 25 years.

I don't think my issues stem just from continuity, for the most part I don't really care if a few things fall to the wayside or fail to peak my interest now and again because you can't win everyone over with every story, but at least if there was one thing I didn't enjoy in one storyline there was always something else to look forward too. But for most of the last year nothing has really jumped out at me and screamed AWESOME. I think the last one that did was Reign of Starscream.

I think I'm more disturbed of recent events with the TOTF and how extremely poorly that series has been handled in the hands of Andy. The art is awful, short of Perez the colouring has been terrible, and Mowry's stories have been the only good ones (though I think Demolishor should have been Sideways in Sideswipe's issue but I digress).

I don't know what to expect from Simon in the upcoming Nefarious...but honestly at this point I don't really care, maybe that's why I'm so disappointed, not only with IDW but with myself for not being psyched for something I should be.

I've still yet to read Stormbringer or Megatron Origins, but I'll get there.:)

Dude....those 2 were AWESOME, read those ;)

[TMIIWonkoNemises]

Although I have no right on dissecting and analyzing Robimus’ take on the IDW Comics(Since I know little of them)...I still have to put my say once more on their writing as a whole.

I did hear some pros and cons about All Hail Megatron,and I once intended to pick them up for the Cover Art(As my sister and I do that at times with Marvel Comics).Seeing that Shane McCarthy written a good majority of the Series and made it a reboot of the IDW Continuity instead of part of the Continuity,I need to ask:Why hire a writer and create a whole new story and try to apply it as part of the Continuity?(Stop me right there if I’m getting this wrong).This is the part where it confuses me,this idea of using two directions (One old story vs.A brand new story) and try to blend it together into something that the readers have to accept is part of the main continuity.I’m fine with new directions and all,but if these new directions are going to affect some of the past storylines in IDW’s Continuity,it would be best if they would either put some of their ideas that are relevant to the main continuity,or create a new story altogether...won’t affect IDW much,considering that Transformers are selling really well right now.

I read Spotlight on Shockwave, Soundwave, and Grimlock, and even own a couple Issues of Megatron: Origins.I’ve seen them as nice short stories,rather than as one huge plotline that connected everything altogether.I liked how IDW was taking fresh looks to old characters that we’ve known since childhood,and yet,compared to the olden days of G1 when it was both in Marvel Comics and on TV,the writing has changed and diversified since then. IDW did take certain aspects of their writing to these characters,and yet,put it into one continuity.It worked for Spotlight because they focus on one character,it worked on Origins caused in worked in a small group of characters,which could be why Robimus is liking what IDW is doing(Correct me if I am wrong here,my friend)

Now that the Ongoing Comic is established,we already are seeing problems with what Continuum is giving us.I’m starting to think that any new writer that comes in this Series and expects to write something that will captivate readers...researching,or perhaps reading the before material a few times isn’t really necessary nowadays.This is where people start complaining as soon as this book is read,as there were plenty of mistakes,even though this book is a recap of everything IDW has written in the past few years.Sure this will devastate new readers who want to know what’s going on up to the first Ongoing Comic,but for people who’ve read this before Continuum,they know what’s going on.Regardless,this poorly edited book is inexcusable for IDW to get away with,and I am tired of those little errors I find in some of the IDW books that I own(The Beast Wars:Sourcebook as an example),and it’s irritating that you find these things from a company where there should be no mistakes in art and writing,especially if they are working on a franchise older than I am.If there is going to be more problems with the Ongoing Comics...IDW should either do the following two things 1)Consult with the other writers and artists about material beforehand and make sure that the new material is relevant (And giving that new writer some freedom for his/her take on the work) or 2)Realize that Ongoing isn’t working as well as they hope and discontinue it...God knows (2) won’t happen.

Okay,I’m done with my rant...I hope this will be the last one.

[GMfan]

.Seeing that Shane McCarthy written a good majority of the Series and made it a reboot of the IDW Continuity instead of part of the Continuity...(Stop me right there if I’m getting this wrong)

You're wrong :P

AHM was meant as a "reboot" yet it was still connected to the previous "-ation" series but the events of AHM start 2 or 3 years after that last issue and had little flash backs here and there to fill in the gaps between (IE kinda like how Lost did it in the first few seasons). The problem with this is there were still things missing IE where'd the Constructicons come from? Why can they suddenly combine when the only team that could do it before was Monstructor? Why are the seekers now F-15s? The questions go on...

This also seems the case with the recent ongoing that some thought it would be a total reboot as well and yet they're still connecting it to their previously established fiction. Is this a good decision? Should it have been a total reboot? Both have pros and cons but considering how well AHM did in captivating new readers and connecting to previous fiction, perhaps going in an opposite direction would have been more "profitable" gamble.

Who knows....as it stands the Ongoing has potential but I can't see how new readers wouldn't be confused like hell jumping in now and relying on the Continuum to bring them up to speed considering the amount of information omitted from it.

[TMIIWonkoNemises]

You're wrong :P

AHM was meant as a "reboot" yet it was still connected to the previous "-ation" series but the events of AHM start 2 or 3 years after that last issue and had little flash backs here and there to fill in the gaps between (IE kinda like how Lost did it in the first few seasons). The problem with this is there were still things missing IE where'd the Constructicons come from? Why can they suddenly combine when the only team that could do it before was Monstructor? Why are the seekers now F-15s? The questions go on...

This also seems the case with the recent ongoing that some thought it would be a total reboot as well and yet they're still connecting it to their previously established fiction. Is this a good decision? Should it have been a total reboot? Both have pros and cons but considering how well AHM did in captivating new readers and connecting to previous fiction, perhaps going in an opposite direction would have been more "profitable" gamble.

Who knows....as it stands the Ongoing has potential but I can't see how new readers wouldn't be confused like hell jumping in now and relying on the Continuum to bring them up to speed considering the amount of information omitted from it.

Well thank you for correcting me on that(lol).Since there a lot of questions left unanswered, it would be up to future issues of the Ongoing Comics to answer them,of course,Continuum could have explained as well.If they really wish to go into another direction and yet tie it with previous fiction,they should leave room to answer them,but they are forcing readers to move on and read the story.I’m one of those readers who wants to know why certain things are left out and find it irritating that they are left unexplained(Kind of like how I felt about the last Episodes of Animated).Hopefully IDW will fix all these problems soon,if not...well at least I have the next TF Film and next Series to look forward to.

[GMfan]

Honestly I don't see the ongoing going back and answering any unanswered questions...in fact all I see is more coming like Why is Thundercracker back (#4 cover) when he was shot in the face by Skywarp in AHM 12...

And see there you brought up another comic that could help IDW right now, continuing Animated. Course we don't really know if they are "allowed" to. Maybe IDW did want to start up Animated comics again but either CN or Hasbro may be holding off. Can't really hold it against anyone till we know why it isn't happening.

[TMIIWonkoNemises]

Honestly I don't see the ongoing going back and answering any unanswered questions...in fact all I see is more coming like Why is Thundercracker back (#4 cover) when he was shot in the face by Skywarp in AHM 12...

And see there you brought up another comic that could help IDW right now, continuing Animated. Course we don't really know if they are "allowed" to. Maybe IDW did want to start up Animated comics again but either CN or Hasbro may be holding off. Can't really hold it against anyone till we know why it isn't happening.

If Ongoing isn’t going to answer,then this is another problem for IDW that should have been solved by Continuum.I don’t really know what IDW is really trying to accomplish with the Ongoing Comics,but seeing the constant mistakes,the fast decisions with new writers and artists,and the infamous poor editing of Mr.Schmit,seems that what IDW really wants,they wish to get it over with as fast as possible and move on to something else.Course they have a whole year to do that till the next TF Movie is released and(Yes I’m saying this again)there is nothing wrong in creating a new Series while continuing the Ongoing Series.

Speaking of Animated,I have been pondering when if they or any other TF Comic Publisher will continue the Series ever since I heard of it’s cancellation.Would be a good time as ever to finish Animated and tie loose ends to certain aspects of the Series.Still,it’s entirely up to Hasbro or Cartoon Network if Animated is to be concluded,and I’m not going to start ranting about Hasbro’s decision on cancelling Animated in the first place and Cartoon Network’s abysmal choice of programming.

[Robimus]

A lot seems to be going on with this Continuum, which is something I have not and will likely not read.

I guess it could be difficult for someone to get up to speed if that mattered, I'd suggest that it really doesn't.

The on going Transformers title seems unlikely to have many ties to what came before. Spike Whitwicky is one but its easy to sort that out.

Wouldn't there simply be a Transformers Wiki somewhere that keeps all this stuff straight enough?

[Team Jetfire]

I liked the frank and opinionated discussion of the IDW comics. I was a fan of the Dreamwave series, but never got into the IDW as I feared another pointless re-boot and it sounds like, in most cases, that I was right to do so. I think there is a lot of validity to the thought that IDW needs to do more with the Transformers name. It should be their top priority and as such should have the top talent working on it, but it sounds like IDW is using it as a money tree in order to push their own other creative works. I am out of line to say that?

Also, Christina Applegate is a legend and deserves to all the inked whistles that a Married with children comic could give. ;)

[GMfan]

I think there is a lot of validity to the thought that IDW needs to do more with the Transformers name. It should be their top priority and as such should have the top talent working on it, but it sounds like IDW is using it as a money tree in order to push their own other creative works. I am out of line to say that?


I dunno....I'm sure that there are some that will say I have a biased opinion but honestly I think everyone involved with this episode enjoyed IDWs work at one point or another (otherwise why read it?) and have just thought the their recent work has become atrocious.

I think the unfortunate part is their seems to be an "internal favouritism" as opposed to "fan favouritism" where the higher ups are picking artists they like and casting the more established artists aside. Is this a bad thing? Not really if (using the cooking analogy) using different spices in a recipe results in a better "meal" but the new flavours just seems terrible and we're being force fed it regardless of what the majority of fans want.

I'm all for better food but I'm sending this back to the kitchen.

[Team Jetfire]

Well, I can understand if one or two meals are ruined by the by trying new ingredients, variety is the spice of life after all. But at what point does the restaurant get rid of the chef after all the latest dishes aren't palatable? I think there will be a point when even the most hardcore of fans will stop buying and it will be up to IDW to make those correct changes...

[GMfan]

Well, I can understand if one or two meals are ruined by the by trying new ingredients, variety is the spice of life after all. But at what point does the restaurant get rid of the chef after all the latest dishes aren't palatable? I think there will be a point when even the most hardcore of fans will stop buying and it will be up to IDW to make those correct changes...


Here here!

Let's just hope we aren't left with a totally bitter taste in our mouths ;)

[CobraCommander]

Regarding the sound volume, you guys could normalize the waveform after you're done recording... that should help with the different sound sources.

Oh... bring back Gizmo!

[GMfan]

Regarding the sound volume, you guys could normalize the waveform after you're done recording... that should help with the different sound sources.

Oh... bring back Gizmo!

Played around with the volume a little more in episode 21 since I had more time to fiddle with it. Lemme know if it worked for ya.

As for Gizmo....listen to 21 ;)

[CobraCommander]

Yeah the volume rocked on 21 and you brought back the little big earned bastard! :)