Thanks to Newsarama and IDWeekly News, we’ve received an extended preview of Transformers Windblade issue #7! This issue is releasing Wednesday September 23rd and looks to deliver some great story telling! If you want a sneak peak at the mysterious Elita-1, or the progress of the Council of Worlds, read on after the jump! If you’re into avoiding ALL potential spoilers, skip this news post!
Enjoy!
emptythreat
To echo a lot of what has already been said but the artwork is very basic to the point of amateur with the proportions wildly off and the inkwork is very scrappy. And not been a fan of Scott's writing from the start, so have been reading a friend's copy as and when but even they're not coming back for the next run.
Autovolt 127
I really hope she'll be able to get her shit together.
I'm surprised Roberts doesn't try to help smooth out her writing sometimes?
ZeroiaSD
They've also had only one issue so far. One! If they have no backstory, that's why. Remember, it took us time to find out about Caminus too.
Cheetor being interested and curious about the homeworld wanting to welcome them back sounds sensible to me- if he's younger, he is fairly separate from the old hatred. Dinobot, on the flip side, views it more as a chance to prove strength.
BlackArachnia is different, but that's not necessarily bad.
ZeroiaSD
My view is Mairghread is doing a slow burn with characters with small moments and stuff allowed to run in the background rather than 'problem-resolution,' while has been doing a fast burn with plots to get the colonies in.
I was impressed by Sara Pitre-Durocher's work so far.
edgs2099
I'm not sure how to feel about this.
Sockie
No it isn't. Sara Pitre-Durocher is doing art for TAAO.
WilyMech
I believe it is Stone that is coming back.
WilyMech
Velicitron had more point to it and minute as it is. Eukaris was kind of pointless and I am not great fan of the Beast Wars, but if I was a fan I would had been pissed. Cheetor was acting like a crazed fan of reuniting with Cybertron. Black Arachnia was hardly recognizable as the same character from the Beast Wars. Tribes is kind of pointless with no back story.
Moonracer eh was not dawn well her 1980's counterpart look better than 2015. KnockOut was in character and he made the whole arc with Velicitron believable.
The whole story had potential but it was pretty much lost it.
edgs2099
A quick scan and I can't find who was announced as art for the new ongoing. It's not the person currently on this, is it?
Coffee
I'm pretty sure it was meant to be a slightly larger mini since the beginning. Not that she's being cut short. She's returning for "Til' All are One" after all.
Normally I hate the whole idea that Transformers needs to be uber mature and dark to be good, but that's why stories like MTMTE suceeds by balancing the light with the dark.
Windblade's problem isn't that its not "serious" enough, but the storytelling is definitely less smart than what we've seen in other IDW examples. There's the idea of Velocitron being this one-dimensional civilization that refuses to make relations with their origin planet for the further benefit of both races because their Ambassador (who, based on Moonracer's application, was probably given the job because he could do a three-sixty kick-flip) decided on his own that they're too ugly for him, and left. Sure there's the argument that past societies formed governments based on skill, and current ones based on celebrities, similarly to how Velocitron works, but whether the society is "realistic" isn't the issue (which a lot of people seem to think it is). The issue is how "Windblade sneaks Blurr into a race so they can get the Velocitronians to listen to them for a change" doesn't even sound interesting at a glance. The societies (of which the entire plot stems from) aren't complex, and most stigmas are left unexplained or are barely delved into. TLDR, it's all really simple.
Plus, most of what we learn about these cultures is told to us and not shown. We learned everything about Velocitron from Moonracer telling them beforehand with a little help from Knockout's self-importance to cement what these people are typically like. Our first-hand examples of Velocitron's culture stems from a couple of guards and a racer calling Blurr fat (which didn't make a lot of sense considering Blurr is skinnier than all of the above).
Same with Eukaris, we meet the leaders of these tribes, but we know nothing about what these tribes are about other than the fact that they are separated based on beast-mode. Why are they in tribes? Is it just a social stigma? Were there "demi-gods" that their ancestors chose to follow separately from one another? Was there a war between them in decades past that they can't simply forget?
I know we're meant to go into a greater detail in Til' all are One, but for a mini you'd think there should be a solid beginning, middle, and end instead of seven issues of setting up your main story.
ZeroiaSD
Really now?
I'll just point out the obvious: Specifically aiming such criticisms at women writers and jumping the gun on that is, hey, sexism.
Women can't promote women characters without getting accusations, it seems…
colky7
If it is than add to the LONG list of reasons why i'm not spending a penny of my money on anything written by Scott or with her name anywhere near it. Have found every book she's done to be boring, bland and sometimes bordering on patronising (though I could be being overly harsh on the final point).
I'm all for seeing strong independent women have the chance to work alongside a rather male dominated industry but i utterly despise any form of positive discrimination (I'm pretty sure all her title's haven't fallen into that territory yet), but there have been a few comments and asides i've read from Scott that have occasionally given me a niggling suspicion she veers towards anti male sexism. Am sure and very hopeful that is all part of my at the moment over stressed brain – things IRL aren't going the best at the moment so might be reading things into stuff that simply isn't there and would hate to take it out on ms Scott!!
Autovolt 127
I don't know what it is…but for the most part I find the writing rather confusing honestly.
Though I'll admit I did like how Windblade questioned Starscream's motives for saving her.
I'm dreading this new Elita-1 already.
edgs2099
I'm pretty much with you here.
ZeroiaSD
Note it's Chromia doing this when Windblade is at a low-point, after having avoided it for some time…
Personally I have found Mairghread's characterizations engaging and interesting, and I don't find last issue bland in the slightest.
Rakzo
I don't know about that. The problem with Scott's writing is not only that she doesn't seem to have a grand plan for her stories, the problem is that her writing itself is pretty bland for the most part.
Some of the most obvious flaws about her work have been evident in this series (especially now that she doesn't have Sarah Stone's distinctive artstyle to save it). The narration lacks wit and personality, the story is borderline boring, the worldbuilding is decent (but again, is not particularly impressive) and the characterization can go nowhere.
The characterization in this preview is particularly problematic. Is not only that I wanted the Chromia's plot-point to be addressed, I wanted it to be addressed in a way that actually MATTERED, Optimus and Prowl had a huge climactic fight in which they finally expressed their own frustrations with each other.
Here we just have: "Eh, who cares if you killed several people and almost murdered me? We're cool girl! *fistbump*"
It's simply a quick and unsatisfying way to get over that.
WilyMech
I don't mind giving Furman the finger. lol. BTW Love your Youtube channel! James Roberts tweeted about on my page a couple days ago.
ultramagnus1
Theres times like I feel its written with Scott giving the proverbial two fingers to Furman. lol
Maybe not…..
WilyMech
I have to agree. I like the concept of thirteen titans or tribes but the interactions with Windblade/Chromia and Starscream is old. Ms. Scott's views are not balanced. There something can be done with Cityspeakers and I am sure Camien are not only ones that can hear the titan speak.
If I may add the problem with Windblade it lacks depth that will appeal to adults and to me it is written to the ESRB ratings that of PG with themes of adult.
Not that I am crazy about the art.
Haywired
Starscream, luv you.
Never change, dude.