The Decepticons Strike in Transformers #2 (Energon Universe Discussion) Skybound / Image Comics 2023
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- The second issue of Skybound's hot new Transformers comics series is here! After the action-packed debut, I was very curious to see where the book would go next - and to be honest, there were a number of unexpected turns. In this video, we take a look at the next issue in Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer's Transformers saga. The new Skybound / Image Comics era continues, setting the stage for future Energon Universe titles in the process!
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00:00 - Introduction
00:36 - Spoiler-Free Review
03:36 - Spoilers!
Transformers #2 (November 8th, 2023)
Daniel Warren Johnson - Writer, Artist
Mike Spicer - Colorist
Rus Wooton - Letterer
Sean Mackiewicz & Jonathan Manning - Editors
Andres Juarez - Publication Design 
Развлечения
That scene at the beginning really helped show that Optimus isn’t like his Bay version, he cares about all life no matter the size or intelligence. I loved it.
Good observations! Glad I'm not the only one that liked it.
That doesn’t make sense when the bayverse optimus did care about sentient life if he didn’t why does so many people criticize that version for caring too much
@@giovonniiclayton never heard that as a criticism
Bayverse imo was more a war general who cared about the people on his side, it’s like bayverse is strong enough to be gentle, and g1 is gentle enough to be strong
@@giovonniiclayton if bayverse Optimus care that much he wouldn’t be brutally executing decepticons nor would he actually turn down megatron’s truce proposal. He would have instead be swiftly killing the cons with a headshot to limit their suffering and would’ve put Sentinel prime on trial for his crimes rather than summary executing him like he was judge dread
Love how they captured the heart of Optimus Prime and I like they portray how alien earth is to them
I like that, too! The part with Cliffjumper meeting Spike and Carly, apart from showing another angle of how alien Earth is to Cybertronians, also provides some levity in an issue that features some pretty heavy stuff.
The unpleasant moment of accidentally squishing a deer shows us the fatherly figure that is the Optimus Prime we grew up with. When I read his speech bubbles, I hear Peter Cullen in my head.
Same! Johnson has captured Cullen's Optimus really well.
real props goes to Johnson's characterization of Starscream killinging humans because he can and their is little to stop him from doing so, this comic s is shaping Starscream as a monster. I felt Optimus' gushing over nature was a little Beachcomber-ish but it works for showing Optimus as the hero is supposed to be and contrasting himself from Starscream. the Duke and Cobra Commander minis can't start soon enough for me I am loving this new comic universe.
Ha, good call on the Beachcomber comparison! That hadn't occurred to me, but kinda funny since we actually see him (sort of) in this issue. And I totally agree, Starscream is pure evil - which definitely makes me wonder, if Starscream is this sadistic and destructive, then what's Megatron going to be like!?
I can't wait to see how the GI Joe stuff is going to factor in. Really enjoying this continuity so far.
I love this depiction of Optimus Prime. Gentle, brave, strong, compassionate, and totally out of his comfort zone.
Also, I would count Beachcomber in the body count. And, the other guy in the flashback looked a bit like Silverbolt, but no way they kill a combiner member so early.
Interesting call on Silverbolt! Man, why's this bot so hard to identify...? :)
It also kinda looks like he could be hound, but it's hard to say for certain
This issue really just solidified how much I liked the character writing for these comics, especially with Optimus
100% agree!
I think it’s safe to say Dadtimus Prime is back in full circle for the Energon Universe. Honestly this 2nd issue was kind of what I expected a little rest after all the heavy stuff I’m the 1st issue.
**Spoiler Warning***
Optimus killing the deer was a needed thing, as we needed to show how dangerous a Cybertronian is to earth by itself, even without trying they can easily kill you without a second thought. Which makes Starscream’s action more horrifying because he’s not even really trying.
Plus I’m thinking we might get a sequence like JLU Superman monologue on Darkseid, on how he been holding back because it was always too dangerous to go all out.
agreed, that a factor of their universe I like, the transformers are technically invasive spices and can/will cause untold destruction to the world if they run rampant
@JohnWilliams-wl9px Well said! 100% agree.
I feel like the part with the deer was necessary to really show the readers that if the bots are not careful, they could easily crush a human, which is later shown in this comic. This also shows how much Optimus understands now that he needs to be extremely careful because life on our planet is fragile compared to the life on his planet. Having Spike there to talk to him was also very sweet.
Agreed, it was a choice that I think pays off really well, both in this issue and the next.
@@Moonbase3 Exactly, it really does show the softer side of Optimus that we haven't seen much of in recent years.
Another banger from DWJ. I think my favorite scene in the issue was probably the Duke scene because I love shared universe/crossover stuff so I like the seeds they're laying down for it. It seems interesting that while Transformers is going back to basics, G.I. Joe is getting completely reinvented. It's clear from the info we have that the Transformers coming to Earth is gonna be the impetus for the creation of G.I. Joe and Cobra which is obviously a different take than most incarnations.
One of the things that's stuck out to me is the fact that this is the first time a shared universe for Transformers and G.I. Joe is being built from the ground up. In the past, it's either been self-contained mini-series (The various Transformers VS G.I. Joe stuff by Devil's Due, Dreamwave, and IDW) a retroactive example (IDW and late Marvel in G2), or a one-time thing {The Marvel G.I. Joe crossover which from what I understand was kinda distanced away from in later Joe comics). That's gonna help a lot of the shared universe aspects feel organic. I really can't wait to see how it's gonna play out in Duke and Cobra Commander.
Speaking of G.I. Joe. More fuel to the fire of the mystery of Megatron's whereabouts. He was on the Ark it seems but his body is nowhere to be found when Jetfire woke everyone up. If the Cobra Commander theory is true I'm very curious to see how good ol CC got his hands on Megatron. Did he find the Ark first? If so why did he only take Megatron?
And last but not least that end of the issue reveal is both tragic and awesome. I remember thinking "Daniel...you MONSTER....keep up the good work!" when I saw that panel.
Yes, 100% about the G.I. Joe stuff! I have quite a bit of fondness for the previous crossovers, but you're right, this is going to be a whole new animal. I really think you hit the nail on the head perfectly by pointing out that "Transformers is going back to basics, G.I. Joe is getting completely reinvented." I'm psyched to see how this is all going to shake out!
As for Megatron, I've been wondering that as well. It kind of seems like he could have potentially been removed from the Ark (intentionally or accidentally) before it crashed, because in issue #1, the Decepticons don't seem surprised by his absence, and there's even that segment at the end where Soundwave starts to bring Megs up, maybe in the past tense, and Starscream cuts him off. There doesn't seem to be any shock or confusion about where he is. So, I wonder, if the Cobra Commander theory pans out, did CC find the Ark, or did he only find Megatron? Or none of the above? I dunno, man, but it is suspicious that the Ark is on the cover to CC #1...
And your reaction to that last page reveal was very similar to mine...! I did not see it coming, but think it was a great idea as it has a ton of potential for the story moving forward!
Starscream’s showdown with the jet looked fantastic, DWJ really knows how to nail that kinetic action. Specifically loved the slap, such a fun panel. And the Duke reveal is a great cherry on top. So far, the way they’re connecting the books has been really satisfying.
Totally! The action being so snappy and kinetic in this series is one of its major strengths, in my opinion. Really makes things feel fresh and exciting.
I'm really liking these comics so far. Good artwork, good writing, and great representation of the characters. I like how the Autobots are kinda at a rock bottom point and I look forward to watching them dig themselves out and reach victory.
Agreed!
As long as beachcomber is alive
Hopefully we find out one way or the other in the future...
The jets that starscreams fighters are f-18
Thanks! That's my bad. Good to know - I appreciate the correction! :)
Thought so, but wasn’t sure.
I was a bit worried when the company that made invincible and the walking dead got the rights to TF. I was worried about them going over board on the blood but this has been just the right amount. Enough to make some good action and establish some danger but not so much to be distasteful . And I’d never thought I’d say this but I’m actually looking forward to the GI joe tie in. It’s been clunky and obtrusive in past comics usually cause they were added in as an after thought but if their planning to actually tie their histories together it actually might work out. I just wish the releases weren’t so far apart.
I hear you, I'm ready for more now! Although I do appreciate that the plan is apparently to keep the monthly titles to a modest amount so as not to become overwhelming. And the violence has been just right for me as well - it feels like they took G1 and aged it up a little without going overboard.
Definitely agree that planning the crossover from the start was the right way to do a shared universe. I'm very curious to see how the Transformers will factor into the Joe books and how frequently we'll see them...
Yeah I was never a big GI Joe fan but I have a good feeling about this. Hard to even say its a "crossover" since its all been baked in from start this time. Cant wait for issue 3 and heck I may even check out Duke.
Good point, it's not really a crossover if they're consistently part of the same universe! I'm really looking forward to Duke and Cobra Commander - but I'm definitely more excited for Transformers #3!
@@darkroom0716 Yess. I'm not a GI Joe fan but after finally reading this 2nd issue, checking out the Duke comic that connects to this issue sounds good to me too lol
I really hope Beachcomber isn’t dead
It's possible he's still alive!
I think the mysterious autobot is hound because it matches g1 hounds head, but it's hard to tell because of the colors and the fact that we can't really see the rest of his body
Finally read the 2nd issue! The 2nd page was a shock. But what Optimus said next about his growing understanding of the difference between his planet and this new planet. Made me think the death of the deer is actually a good point that acted as a quick start to start talking about this difference. And I can see a lot of comments agreeing with you, sharing their thoughts on the deer.
But I thought about it, and seeing a deer being killed or accidentally killing a deer is a thing that happens to a lot people in rural areas. Being diligent and having to deal with this is a human experience. And some even say that deers are a pests.
However, Optimus never had such a thought and approached the death of the deer genuinely and realistically.
That's a great point - I've lived in a few rural areas during my lifetime and had a lot of close calls while driving at night. The fact that it's treated like an accident in the book really lends itself well to your point, I think, as that's something that many may have experienced or at least would be conscious of, depending on where they've lived.
Just finished Issue 2. Loving the Skybound comics so far. I was liking it with Issue 1, but issue 2 was awesome.
Awesome, good to hear! I'm really enjoying this series so far and I'm ready for the next part.
Imagine a live action series based on void rivals like they did with the walking dead
That would be interesting! Could also be cool as an animated series as well.
@@Moonbase3 I'd rather it be animated personally.
You know I’m wondering how characters like HotRod,the Dinobots,the Predacons,Wheelie,and Sky Lynx will be handled in this series. I especially wonder what it’ll be like when we get Unicron in the comic.
I have read on tfwiki that Robert Kirkman's favorite character in Hot Rod, so I would imagine that at some point we will see Hot Rod in the continuity
Same here! I'm also wondering how long it'll take to get to some of those characters in the continuity. Seems like the Dinobots are a safe bet to show up sooner rather than later, but I'm eager to see if they're going to be the "Caveman" Dinobots of the animated series or something different.
@@Moonbase3yeah I wonder if they’ll use their origin from the show where they were built by Ratchet and Wheeljack too. And Hot Rod is a character I’m interested in seeing in this comic given his history and different portrayals in the franchise and if we’ll see him become Rodimus Prime.
@mr.end-game711 That's cool, I didn't know that. Bodes well for his appearance in the future, then!
@@deniseg9210 I've been thinking about that too - maybe that was part of the decision to include Wheeljack and Ratchet in the roster? And we keep getting little tidbits mentioning how outgunned the Autobots are, so maybe they'll need some bruisers to even the odds...
I agree with everything you said about Optimus and the deer. It was absolutely a necessary scene and very much established the character of Prime that we will be dealing with from here on out. The writing for Optimus in this series is perfect in my opinion and so far (6 issues in) this might be one of the best Transformers stories I've ever read. Great review as always! looking forward to watching the rest as I catch up to issue 9
Thanks! Glad you dug the issue. DWJ is really writing an extremely compelling Prime!
Bringing back Cliffjumper before Wheeljack makes sense. He's smaller so he would have taken less energon to repair and because he's a scout, he can go look for new sources of energon and/or keep an eye out for Decepticon activity. While Wheeljack would have been useful to help with repairs, that doesn't matter much if there isn't' enough energon to even do repairs.
Great point!
Ironically, I feel like siege, was gonna try and go for this kind of star scream, blood thirsty nature
Second home run issue. I don’t have as much to say about this as I did the first issue, but I will say all the good things from the previous carry over here. The art is fantastic, the characterization is on point, and the story is moving at a good pace.
The characterization of Optimus is once again a highlight of the book. We see the warmth of OP come through, but now we also see the sorrowful pain at bringing the doom to another world, and as mentioned in the previews his willingness to throw his life away for the sake of the other Autobots. Now for the deer scene. I love animals, I hate media that pointlessly kills them for shock value, that’s not what this was. This was done to advance the story and to pull on the readers’ hearts. To tell the truth I actually did almost tear up when Prime killed the doe on accident. I think it can be summed up with one word: poignant.
And that’s the thing I love about the series so far: it hasn’t pulled any punches. Characters die, often grisly and pointless deaths. This was something from IDW 05 I really appreciated in retrospect, but is even more on display here. The Decepticons are basically robo-demons and will inflict suffering on all humanity if given the opportunity. That’s both my preferred characterization for the cons as well as perfect justification for the creation of GI Joe. Also the Bayverse gave us enough humans taking out Cybertronians, it’s high time we see some Decepticons wipe out some humans.
Last thing I’ll say is I was DENIED AGAIN. Wheeljack was not repaired in this issue, 0/10! Now this series must make it up to me by having Wheeljack make his entrance absolutely obliterating a Decepticon with some gadget in the next issue. Jokes aside I actually think Ratchet’s decision to bring back Cliffjumper is actually the most logical given the situation. Wheeljack may be my favorite character in the whole franchise and much more useful for repairs, but Optimus, Ratchet and the humans are in immediate danger. Even though Ratchet can and already has held his own, Prime needs some back up. Assuming the 1984 cast and that the doc probably wants to conserve Energon, he needs someone small (which rules out Ironhide, Trailbreaker, Hound, and the other Autobot cars), fuel efficient (which rules out Brawn, Gears, and Huffer), and tough (which rules out Windcharger, sorry buddy). Small, fuel efficient, tough, why that’s Cliffjumper to a tee.
Anyway, fantastic analysis as always! I love these two issues and eagerly await the next!
Okay I thought I didn’t have as much to say, apparently my ability to ramble on knows no bounds 😂
Yeah that was exactly my thinking as to why Ratchet chose to bring Cliffjumper online first.
Haha, I was definitely thinking of you when I got to the end of the book and Wheeljack was still nowhere to be seen! He's got to be coming soon, I would think. Your rationale (that @tomhur1 also picked up on) for why Cliffjumper instead of Wheeljack is sound and well thought out. You guys have convinced me! :)
As for your thoughts on Optimus and the deer - well said. I definitely agree.
Interesting comparison to IDW...I can get behind what you're saying here. It is nice to see a sense of scale and power with the Cybertronians in regards to Earth. Obviously, the Machination had help, but it's kind of a stark contrast seeing them go toe-to-toe with the Autobots in Escalation compared to how unprepared and defenseless humanity seems in this series. I'm digging it, for sure.
So what I’m seeing from this comic is that it’s basically a refined more mature G1 which technically works sense the decepticons in g1 we’re just basic evil assholes for the most part and the autobots were peace keepers and protectors, so in this we get to do a more refined version of that
I think you're right, it's definitely G1, but going for a more mature tone than the old G1 series. Kind of like how the 86 movie was a shift in tone compared to the TV series. I know some people aren't going to like how G1 it is, and I can understand some of where they're coming from, but I'm enjoying it so far.
How did that deer not see the 20 foot robot coming? Thats on the deer
😂
I don't know if I'm right, but i think the deer scene was an ohmage at that same scene in ''The Iron Giant''. Two Giant robots learning the value of life.
I think you're probably right - I believe Johnson said in one of his director's commentaries that he modeled one of the background characters in the VFW from #1 on a character from the Iron Giant, so it seems very likely the movie was an inspiration.
I like how much of a piece of shit starscream is with the killing of the humans. He was always a scumbag but now his behavior fits his character.
🤣 Yeah, he's ruthless and dangerous - which is a good approach for villains in a set-up like this.
One thing that I loved when you were talking about the... *SPOILERS !!!*
😙🎶... 😗... 😐... You're still here ? *SPOILERS DUDE !!!*
...scene with Optimus & the deer that I feel a lot of Transformers fans tend to forget/ignore, which admittedly does make me roll my eyes, is make it known that it's fine that Optimus can be different for the version they are INTENTIONALLY trying to convey. I grew up in the sweet spot with iterations of G1, Movies, Unicron Trilogy, & Animated at my disposal so I'm practically used to Prime being reinvented. But because this new universe is more in line with his first incarnation it's not only important they nail that aspect but also make it clear that it's actively TRYING to be like that version with differences to make it fresh. Apologies for my long winded comment, just wanted to appreciate that one little detail I really feel needs to be addressed & overall accepted
Well said. I definitely agree! I'm fine with different takes on characters, but if you're going for a specific thing, well, as you said, it's important to nail it (while at the same time keeping it interesting and fresh).
7:56 farmingham is a real place in massachusetts. not quite sure where your getting the fictional town thought on that
The real-world place is Framingham, whereas the place in Transformers is Farmingham. It threw me for a loop the first time I saw it because it's so close in terms of spelling. In issue 4, we see a couple close ups of the hospital sign that confirm the spelling is different and not a typo.
Something that just struck me: Why is Optimus using contractions? (example: "I'm so sorry") This is the first Transformers series I've read, so forgive me if this has already been established.
I just can't think of a single time Optimus used a contraction in the G1 show. That said, this was a REALLY moving scene. I felt that discomfort you mentioned, and I felt the sadness in his dialogue.
Yeah, it was a really impactful scene that gave some good insight into Prime's character.
As for the contractions, I don't think it's very uncommon throughout the various comics continuities, but I know what you mean about the cartoon. I feel like it became less common as the animated continuity went on, but early on he used them more often when he had more of that John Wayne cowboy swagger. :) Off the top of my head, I can think of the "If I'm not back in five minutes, come get me" in that opening mini series, when he goes to investigate the crystal mine right before the bomb goes off, with Bumblebee, Sparkplug and Roller still inside. I feel like they kind of drifted in and out with the contractions in the cartoon, and I think they're doing something similar in these comics as well.
Great comment! Those are the little details I always like to get into when discussing this stuff!
Dukey! 🤣
New fan of transformers and really loving Void Rivals. To be honest, I'm new to collecting comic books and following all the different entries into the Energon world can get confusing( transformers, void Rivals, and GI-Joe) is there a single website to track all these releases/pre-orders?
Thanks for your video and definitely subscribed to the channel.
Thanks for subscribing - glad to have you here! I always like hearing about new fans joining the fold. If you have a local comic store, they'll more than likely offer a subscription service, so you can tell them which books you want (or even just all Energon Universe titles, if you want), then they'll automatically hold a copy of them for you when they release.
If that's not an option or you want to plan ahead, www.leagueofcomicgeeks.com is a handy site that will show you the release dates for all the solicited issues. As for a website to keep track of all the series, I think www.skybound.com might be the best one for now as it's direct from the publisher. That, or their social media accounts. :) Hope that helps!
great appreciate your response and help @@Moonbase3
This totally slipped my mind, but might also be helpful: tfwiki.net/wiki/Energon_Universe
My favorites are Sunstreaker and Sideswipe also Swoop I hope they in the future comics
I hope so, too. I'd love to see all the Dinobots in this continuity sooner rather than later!
@@Moonbase3 i also hope that thundercracker will in the future comics
@@ashleywimmers6481 Same here. We were so close to getting him and Reflector in issue #1!
@@Moonbase3 do you think they are dead because Transformers in comic books don’t stay dead long
I'm guessing they're just offline, so I think they could be brought back with the right tech and enough energon. Bumblebee and Jetfire might be the ones that are actually "dead," but even they could maybe come back somehow - like you said, Transformers don't stay dead for long in comics! :)
Good 😊
Thanks! 😁👍🏻
Youre Plane wrong. That's an F-18 get your planes right.
🤣 Yeah, I definitely messed that up.
When i hear the tone of this comic, i was worry ..and stil im
Do we need the deer scene , what works for Invicibil or The boys works for those, but not for transformer
You have Sream go out it way to tomato slap humans, usual in any transformer media , the casulty are offscreen .
Let take that scene say for godzilla ``accidentally `` kill a whale or a elefant /something big like buildings with people inside ,godzilla is a force of nature . And this comic goes with a very small casr and stil to see if any can return .... amd add the share universe with GI joe , this 2 il fight for screen time/pages
I know the violence is not going to be for everyone, and that's fine. The amount of violence towards humans (and the deer) is somewhat unusual for Transformers comics, so I can understand the hesitation some might have, but it doesn't bother me. I actually think it's creating potential for more deeply affecting stories, but we'll have to see where it goes.
So what I’m seeing from this comic is that it’s basically a refined more mature G1 which technically works sense the decepticons in g1 we’re just evil assholes for the most part and the autobots were peace keepers and protectors, so in this we get to see a more refined and mature version of that
I hope beachcomber is dead because my twisted sense of humor finds it funny Derrick got his wish for the death of beachcomber
Wow, I forgot all about that! That's actually pretty hilarious! 🤣 Wyatt was bound and determined to kill him off, no matter how many seasons it took.
I think the random guy is prowl
Interesting idea...! I can kind of see it, it's just hard to make out who it is for certain.
You dwelled on the deer for literally like 3 mins
What can I say, I had a fair amount I wanted to cover with that scene. :) I am working on streamlining and trying to get better, though!
Too many humans, way too many.
The way things are going, there might not be too many of them left before long. :)
Alot of humans but they don't seem to be taking away from robot screen time which is nice and they are also enjoyable characters so far unlike, in my opinion, the humans in infiltration etc
Nothing wrong with human characters as long as they’re executed well your always going to have humans if transformers are on earth
The fact that the deer scene is remotely controversial is just pathetic. Have these people ever read anything dramatic?
I tend to be in favor of fiction that is challenging or looks at unpleasant and/or uncomfortable things, but I know not everyone is. And animal death is certainly one of those things that can have a strong effect on people. I started to sympathize with it a lot more after I had a friend explain to me that stuff like that in movies could bring on intrusive thoughts and/or nightmares about their own pets. Not that this is the case with everyone who doesn't like depictions of harm to animals, or anything, but I think it gave me a perspective on it that I hadn't considered before.
You made a mistake when you called that plane and f-14 tomcat it's an f/a18
Sure did! That mistake was pointed out to me in a previous comment a while back.
Not sure why we're rewarding modern artists for putting blank colored back grounds against characters when old school artists from the 90s actually filled that negative space with background art.
I get what you're saying, but for me flat backgrounds are a part of the pop-art side of comics that's part of the history of the medium. Whether or not their use is appropriate depends on the project, but I think you can do a lot with them, both in a fun way and for artistic effect as well. I can love the usage of flat backgrounds just as much as meticulously detailed backgrounds/landscapes, though for different reasons. But I'm obviously just speaking for myself here.
Deer scene totally works. Re: Name-y, I think @DanielWarrenJohnson1 is just a Good Will Hunting fan