Just in time for this week’s New Comic Book Day pull list, TFW2005 member Ismaeel Kamal directs our optics towards Graphic Policy and Previews World for the full 5-page Transformers #16 preview.
Riots rock Cybertron as the delicate balance of peace is fully disrupted. Amidst the anti-Autobot, anti-Decepticon, and anti-Rise actions, can Orion Pax, Chromia, and a Decepticon finally link the deaths of Brainstorm and Rubble to a larger conspiracy?
Creator credits: (W) Brian Ruckley (A) Anna Malkova, Bethany McGuire-Smith (CA) Corin Howell (CA) Hal Laren (Colorist) Josh Burcham (Colorist) Joana Lafuente
Check out all the artwork attached to this post, then sound off on the 2005 boards!
Issy543
Maybe when Ruckley starts writing the next story arc that begins in issue #19, he'll have a better understanding of how to pace the series.
Are you going to pick up issue #17 and #18?
ErbFan28
I just binge read the first 16 issues. This series had me through the first 12 issues. I was totally invested in the story, characters and world building. Now it feels like the pacing has accelerated too much. It’s like Ruckley gave in to the criticism rather than continue the story he wanted to write. Now it’s starting to lose me a bit. I want to go back to the slow build-up.
avengerboy123
the Rise are the ones who murdered Brainstorm. The psycho murder is their MO
cirrusstratus1
Wow. They even managed to de-ball Skystalker.
Coffee
Yeah, Soundwave would definitely be able to implicate him and Shockwave were he to send him to court, and I don’t think Megatron would be able to trust him not to given that Soundwave has essentially been doing his own thing when matters called for it thus far
TeamOptimus
oh yeah that’s a good point. He does seem happy to do his own thing quite frequently.
Really interested in how Megs is going to spin things.
Lionheart
Megatron could do that but I don't see this Soundwave being as much of a blindly loyal, bleeding heart this time around. I doubt he'd want to sit around in a cell for millions of years. Also covers for future issues feature Bumblebee and Elita being hunted down and even thrown in prison…So I don't think he will pin the blame on Soundwave, rather, I think he'll try and take out those who have dirt on the Ascenticon-Rise coalition.
TeamOptimus
Question about this issue: instead of escalating the situation, could Megatron find a way to blame everything on Soundwave and act like Soundwave was doing all of this behind his back? Seems like Soundwave might be so loyal to the cause that he would be willing to take the fall.
ProtectronPrime
"Reeee: I hate this. (It sucks.)" Is going to be the name of my first studio album of my imaginary rock band.
Lionheart
Soundwave looked heartbroken when he realized he had to kill those Risers. Every other time we've seen Soundwave, he's been in the presence of his superiors or those under his employment so I don't think he'd be willing to to be vulnerable in front of them.
EDIT: I realize I should have provided a reference for what I mean. In the second panel to the right he's clearly sad and it doesn't seem to have anything to do with plans failing but the fact that he has to kill more people.View attachment 28524617
TeamOptimus
That’s a really good point. Plus the war and all of that violence.
It’ll be interesting to see why it escalates into a war. That would be counterproductive to Megatron’s goals so something has to make him snap. I bet sentinel’s death will be the tipping point (or maybe Termagax is killed or something?)
i think an energy crisis would be a great plot point because then it gives them a reason to expand.
Issy543
I don't blame you for being skeptical about the release dates.
I think the problem is that IDW keep on announcing a new issue, which means the creative team has to work on a current and upcoming issue. When that's not possible, said upcoming issue gets delayed, and it's the same cycle again and again.
What I think needs to happen in order to avoid this is that they need to skip a month of announcing a new issue, in order to allow the series to be delivered on time, otherwise this will keep on happening. Sure, it will get backlash from some people, but it'll be worth it in the long run.
I'm surprised that Transformers Galaxies #4 got delayed by two months. I get the move from December to January (I doubt any comic store would want to be open during Christmas), but not to February. Now, because if this delay, Issue #5, 6 and #7 are currently scheduled for 25th March, but I doubt this will be the case, although since this series involves different creative teams, it this release date is possible.
Issue #18 and 19 from the main series is also scheduled on the 25th March, but I doubt this even more than Galaxies being released on time, especially because they have the same creative team, and therefore don't have the benefit of planning in advance.
Issy543
I think he was being a bit sincere, since he was barking at Shockwave for having a Rise kill Rubble, and how that shouldn't have happened. He might have been fine with Brainstorm's death however…
I think Megatron has been brought up with violence in most of his life, and unlike Orion Pax, he never really had any friends to temper his anger. Instead, they want him to use that anger to lead a new movement which, as everybody already knows, leads towards a civil war on Cybertron.
I'm wondering what the final domino will be in this domino effect we are witnessing? Will it be the death of Sentinel Prime, an energy crisis or something else?
TranslucentBag
I heard that his finishing move was the dreaded 48hr Filibuster.
I read that as trying to offer constructive criticism. Rather than just posting “Reeeee: I hate this. it sucks,” it’s far better to additionally offer reasons why you don’t like it. The pacing could be bad. It could have unsympathetic or aloof characters or be plagued with writing inconsistencies. Any of this can open up a good discussion of what is bad, and good, in a story and get folks thinking, contributing, or open up a dialogue. Just saying a book is crap with no explanation is something a 5-year-old would say. Whether intentional or not, it shuts down conversions rather than promote them.
Sadly I’ll believe that when I see it. I don’t know what is going on but these delays are not doing this reboot any favors.
TeamOptimus
do you think Megatron was actually being sincere? Hard to tell if he’s putting on a show.
agree with the violence. I feel like shutting down the gladiator arenas on top of restraining Cybertron was a huge loss for him and he doesn’t have an outlet for his violent tendencies anymore.
SuperTitanHans
At least it’s two in a week!
Issy543
Issue #17 comes out on the 19th February.
Also, the long awaited Transformers Galaxies #4 comes out on the 26th February. Kinda surprised that issue had a big delay.
SuperTitanHans
In one way or another, that’s what at least fifty percent of the posts here are doing, including yours above.
I hardly think asking someone to articulate the reasons for their dislike of something is tantamount to censorship or oppression.
Anyway, when is the next issue out? I’m pretty excited to see what happens next.
Issy543
In issue #10, twice Megatron was shown to be concerned about he loss of Rubble, although not at the same way as the Autobots were. One was when he told Bumblebee he was sorry for his loss, and another was when he told off Shockwave for having a rise kill Rubble.
As for him being against violence? I think secretly, he doesn’t use violence to the public eye in order to appear approachable, but in reality, he would love to be aggressive. For instance, in issue #16, after he’s damaged his chair while listening to Elita-1, during that one panel where there is no dialogue, he’s probably thinking about doing some damage to Soundwave, but realise it’s not worth it, so he decides to send Shockwave instead.
I think something in Megatron’s life has caused him to make him become irrational, which I believe was hinted in issue #6, and when the war starts, it’ll make him an unpredictable character.
As for Soundwave not being emotional? I think that, like a lot of his recent counterparts in other media, he’s not that much of an emotional character, hence why wasn’t that broken up when he killed those Rise members. However, we haven’t seen him since issue #14, so maybe there will be a change for me to be proven wrong.
Rockdown
This is a hilarious post. Have we reached the stage where we tell other posters what to write and how to express themselves.lol.