Transformers artist Sara Pitre-Durocher’s recently shared two Starscream sketches on her Twitter feed, brought to our attention by TFW2005 member The Kup.
Since I was out of the country when TAAO #12 came out I never got around to sharing some stuff.. The colors ended up changing for the actual issue, but these are what I did on my first draft… I never edited it haha so there you GO
What do you think of this artwork in comparison to the final images from IDW’s Transformers: Till All Are One #12? See the sketches after the jump, then sound off on the 2005 boards!
Razzy
On the other hand, countless cc bots turned out just fine, so it might as well be complete bullsh*t and he'd turn it to be the snivelling sh*tstain he is no matter the body he's been placed in.
There's a reason nature vs nurture discussions don't seem to ever end.
Nocturne
IDW has made it no secret that CC notes were treated as second class citizens. They weren't given the same rights and opportunities as forged bots. Were seen as inferior and often referred to as "knock-offs". Even Ratchet, who is a pretty decent guy, believed that forged bots made better surgeons because their bodies were of a better quality, this is disproved by Spinister who is a gifted surgeon and CC, but it remains a widely believed "truth".
When we get to the war. CC bots were being created to act as cannon fodder, they weren't even given a full basic education because many of them weren't expected to live long(and that's just what we know about the Autobot MTO)
Not to mention the fact that all sparks, wether their matrix born or from the pulses, have a alt-mode built into their very DNA. They want to be a certain shape. So imagine a CC spark shoved into an alt-mode that doesn't match up with what it wants to be.
He was born into a society where your role and worth in life is decided by your alt-mode. Unlike forged bots(whose alt-mode is random, or picked by primus if you're more religous minded) CC bots have their alt-mode chosen for them by the government. So they get even less of a choice.
Going back to religion quick. If you're CC then you're very existence is an insult to Primus and you'rewalking sin. Hell, Tyrsest believed the way to Cyberutopia was blocked because all the CC were evil and more likely to commit crimes.
Taking your example about c-section. It would be more accurate to say "if you're born via c-section, you'll go through life being told you're inferior in every single way compared to those born naturally."
No wonder Starscream turned out the way he did.
StellarJet
Starscream is all about personality, in my opinion (something that I actually think the early G1 designers tried to show, by making Starscream so radically different in terms of color type with respect all other Seekers).
This design is just too 'general'. A nice one, for sure! but indeed *not* Starscream. I'd say Star is a mech that likes to stand out (as a hero or villain!)
Pwsyn
I admit, its a really nice design. Though it is not really Starscream for me, and not necessarily on my wish list. Or at least I wouldn´t put it in the "Starscream shelf".
SMOG
DUH, yes, I'm commenting on the concept art that has been posted in a public arena for us all to express opinions on…
The concept image demonstrates the thematic concept and artistic intent of the artist… so what better time to weigh in and be critical? Why wait? There's no point in trying to defend the flaws in a concept design. This is where the criticism is most valuable.
I'm not even really saying that it's not a "cool" looking robot. It is. However, it's more that it feels like a lazy Transformer design that relies more on superficial design elements than a strong core build – which also offers no substantive link to the character it represents (even a variation on the character), and feels highly derivative of Alex Milne's work to boot.
Mind you, if you're going to imitate another TF artist, Milne is a good direction to go in. In this case, though, it reminds me of the repetitive superficiality of Milne's earlier designs and work (Spotlight: Drift comes to mind) where the bots mostly just look like an assemblage of various ailerons and angular pointy segments, with no palpably distinct characteristics or sense of transforming into anything.
Maybe I'm coming off too strong. I'm not trying to beat down the artist. This is more "here are the issues with the design – I think you can do it better."
zmog
Smitty.1981
I don't see why being cold built or whatever would effect a Transformers personality? It's like saying if you're born via c-section you'll be an asshole, and that is not how personality works.
That Guy
No one is born a shitty person. This is/would have been his true baby body!
RazorclawX
Are you basing your opinion on the concept art or the final one?
Because a lot of the reactions I'm seeing here are acting like this is the first time they've seen it, because DUH the concept is not the finished artwork.
SMOG
All this hinges on the notion that being a 'completely different person' means having a derivative, superfluous, badly-designed body.
zmog
Chris McFeely
Sure, I mean, aside from the fact that the earliest we've ever seen of Starscream is when he joined the Cons in the first place, and his actions post-Acies, pre-Infiltration are actually all but unchronicled, and we actually don't know what happened to him to lead him down that path at all, and that everything Starscream's done for the last year-plus of comics under Scott has been done under the premise of "getting them before they get you because it'll all go wrong otherwise because that's what life has taught him" to set this idea up well in advance.
Haywired
And this story kinda falls short and hard to buy when you realise that IDW Screamer always was a terrible person and never really felt manipulated by circumstances into becoming a scoundrel.
Razzy
Haha, IDW Starscream having the potential not to be a complete shitter, now that's hilarious, now pull the other one.
Cya
Raziel-chan
Chris McFeely
*pinches brow*
that's the fucking point of the story
Brave Magnus
Ok, having read the issue and your comments, I am ready to reply: is not that this design is "wrong" because it doesnt suit Starscream's personality. That's the POINT of the revelation! If Starscream was allowed to be "born naturally" then he would be a complete different person. I am really curious about it now.
SMOG
The problem with this design is that it falls prey to all of Alex Milne's foibles… which is problematic for Milne, but maybe worse for another artist. I mean, it's basically MTMTE Rodimus with a few more wings.
Setting aside that the design and colours just don't evoke an immediate feeling of "Starscream," it also feels a lot like a Milne genericbot… the design is superficially "cool"… all fins and flanges and flash, but no underlying core design motif or sense of transformation engineering to ground it.
zmog
MekaGojira3k
I dig this, it reminds me of Powerlinx Armada Starscream mixed in with other elements (head crest ala Machine Wars, body feels like a riff on things like the Cybertron design)
G1 Evac
True Starscream should be a Walther P-38 pistol
Noideaforaname
It's kinda weird how the unique, deeply personal "true self" feels a lot more generic than the plain typical Seeker bodytype…
SPLIT LIP
I like the concept, but the design itself is boring.
Haywired
This.
An inner "true form" should be reflecting personality.
And Screamer's a fairly sh***y person.