Full Preview for IDW Transformers Optimus Prime Annual 2018 - Thundercracker in Starscream: The Movie
Friday, February 23rd, 2018 4:22PM CST
Category: Comic Book NewsPosted by: Va'al Views: 28,101
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THUNDERCRACKER IN: STARSCREAM: THE MOVIE!
The good news: somebody finally gave Thundercracker money to make a film. The bad news: it’s Starscream, and he wants a biographical picture to win over the people of Earth. Will Thundercracker stand by his principles or… well, no, he makes the movie.
Optimus Prime Annual 2018
John Barber (w) • Priscilla Tramontano (a & c)
FC • 48 pages • $7.99
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Posted by WreckerJack on February 23rd, 2018 @ 4:32pm CST
Goodbye money, hello books!
Posted by ZeroWolf on February 23rd, 2018 @ 4:49pm CST
Posted by Sunstar on February 23rd, 2018 @ 8:49pm CST
Posted by KVO Prime on February 24th, 2018 @ 1:37am CST
Posted by Chibi Starscream on February 24th, 2018 @ 7:40am CST
MrBlack wrote:WreckerJack wrote:Thundercracker is that a Starbucks cup?
Robots with Coffee is now canon.
It's probably called Starscream's Coffee! Lmao. There's plenty of fan art of it too.
Posted by YoungPrime on February 24th, 2018 @ 9:53am CST
Chibi Starscream wrote:MrBlack wrote:WreckerJack wrote:Thundercracker is that a Starbucks cup?
Robots with Coffee is now canon.
It's probably called Starscream's Coffee! Lmao. There's plenty of fan art of it too.
Bot's have been drinking can's and Juice boxes of Energon with Kremzek's face on it for millions of years now.
Posted by SW's SilverHammer on February 24th, 2018 @ 12:35pm CST
Posted by Sunstar on February 24th, 2018 @ 5:42pm CST
Chibi Starscream wrote:MrBlack wrote:WreckerJack wrote:Thundercracker is that a Starbucks cup?
Robots with Coffee is now canon.
It's probably called Starscream's Coffee! Lmao. There's plenty of fan art of it too.
This?
Posted by primalxconvoy on February 24th, 2018 @ 5:57pm CST
Sunstar wrote:Chibi Starscream wrote:MrBlack wrote:WreckerJack wrote:Thundercracker is that a Starbucks cup?
Robots with Coffee is now canon.
It's probably called Starscream's Coffee! Lmao. There's plenty of fan art of it too.
This?
In Japan, we actually GOT Starscream with our coffee, like a boss.
Posted by Sunstar on February 24th, 2018 @ 6:14pm CST
primalxconvoy wrote:Sunstar wrote:Chibi Starscream wrote:MrBlack wrote:WreckerJack wrote:Thundercracker is that a Starbucks cup?
Robots with Coffee is now canon.
It's probably called Starscream's Coffee! Lmao. There's plenty of fan art of it too.
This?
In Japan, we actually GOT Starscream with our coffee, like a boss.
I have those.
Posted by primalxconvoy on February 24th, 2018 @ 6:17pm CST
Ah, happy memories.
Posted by Sunstar on February 24th, 2018 @ 7:09pm CST
Posted by primalxconvoy on February 24th, 2018 @ 9:58pm CST
Sunstar wrote:I never drank that coffee, is it any good?
Didn't you get the coffee in the cans?
As for taste, it's just regular, canned coffee, with a bit of milk and sugar.
Posted by Sunstar on February 24th, 2018 @ 10:10pm CST
primalxconvoy wrote:Sunstar wrote:I never drank that coffee, is it any good?
Didn't you get the coffee in the cans?
As for taste, it's just regular, canned coffee, with a bit of milk and sugar.
I did, but I left it intact.
Posted by primalxconvoy on February 24th, 2018 @ 10:21pm CST
Sunstar wrote:primalxconvoy wrote:Sunstar wrote:I never drank that coffee, is it any good?
Didn't you get the coffee in the cans?
As for taste, it's just regular, canned coffee, with a bit of milk and sugar.
I did, but I left it intact.
Why? They're not special cans, and you can always get more coffee that's in basically identical cans anytime!
Posted by Sunstar on February 24th, 2018 @ 11:42pm CST
Posted by Va'al on February 27th, 2018 @ 3:26pm CST
(Spoiler free-ish)
NOTE: The Annual is out on Wednesday, but to avoid discussion about it clashing too much with the other Optimus Prime comic book also out this week, this review is published before the release of the book. There are no spoilers insofar as we were able to keep them in check.
Synopsis
THUNDERCRACKER IN: STARSCREAM: THE MOVIE! The good news: somebody finally gave Thundercracker money to make a film. The bad news: it's Starscream, and he wants a biographical picture to win over the people of Earth. Will Thundercracker stand by his principles or... well, no, he makes the movie.
Story
Annuals are a strange thing, in comics series, arriving as they do from outside the narrative, but still usually relevant to the main strands of stories told in the main series they refer to. In Till All Are One's case, we saw it actually being a conclusion; in Optimus Prime, we see a long-frame of rounding out and rounding up some moments regarding Starscream (in deferred time) and Thundercracker himself.
And the result is something that truly excels at highlighting the troubled past of the Seekers and the Decepticon ranks and faction, through the focus of the former's leader Starscream, and the lens of Thundercracker - and it does so injecting some actually surprisingly serious, resonating moments in an apparently light-hearted framing.
The story, then, takes place across a number of moments that follow Starscream's rise to power and later fall (hence my reference to the TAAO annual above), as Thundercracker starts the work and only concludes it much, much later. Barber's script, as I will say in the other Optimus Prime comic review this week, is a mine of delights for anyone with any interest in Transformers lore, and choc-full of cameos and references.
And that is something that Barber is very good at, leaning onto it in full force for a lot of beats in the issue. Using the framing of Thundercracker to give us a story about Starscream was good. Very good. It then turns to Thundercracker again, almost suddenly, and it gets perhaps even better, reminding us of how powerful he actually can be, and what his background is.
Art
The general framework of the light-heartedness of the script suits Priscilla Tramontano's art style perfectly, and John-Paul Bove's colours just help it that little more, keeping in line with the likes of MTMTE #57 in Titans Return, and the general silliness-but-not-really of Thundercracker's emotive side, even just as we open the issue on the title page. It's just.. fun.
An unexpected - though entirely by my own fault - surprise comes in the small parts in which regular Thundercracker artist (from xRID and Transformers days) Andrew Griffith was brought in, with colours by Josh Burcham, to round out some flashbacks and cutscenes. And paired with Tramontano, and the framing of the narrative devices, it just works. Beautifully so.
As for the joyous touches added by the lettering, we see Shawn Lee feature back in, and having probably as much fun as the rest of the creative team on this, with some particularly fun parts in Buster's various noises, and the sound effects that manifest in various forms throughout.
We've seen both of the covers available for the issue, and both are viewable in our database entryhere, but I chose the Andrew Griffith / Josh Perez for the points made above: having him show one of his old 'creations' was a lovely touch.
Thoughts
WARNING: this may contain spoilers
A script that takes itself nowhere too seriously, with art that combines the more significant beats with the overall joyful, gleeful fun that the team clearly had while working on this project, with a spotlight on some of the lesser seen moments of Decepticon and Cybertronian history, and a bot-load of character work worthy of the best bottle episodes out there. You really should pick this annual up, with one caveat...
...Barber's strengths may also be the hurdle to new readers coming to see Thundercracker doing fun movie fanfic things and being more influenced by humanity than Decepticonism. The references, the interviews, the cameos - they may not work for a newer Transformers fan (but which also speak to readers of Revolutionaries, GI Joe, xRID, and more). At the same time, they do not, in any way, detract from the overall enjoyment of the story, as those very same references also branch out to wider points, such as commentary on fandom, and popular media in general, references to specific franchises, and more. I repeat myself: pick this up.
Posted by Targetmaster Kup on February 27th, 2018 @ 9:23pm CST
Posted by Daniel Adkins on February 27th, 2018 @ 9:37pm CST
Targetmaster Kup wrote:Where in continuity does this issue for?
It appears to take place between Optimus Prime #14 and #15, before the TAAO Annual.
Posted by Va'al on February 28th, 2018 @ 12:57am CST
Daniel Adkins wrote:Targetmaster Kup wrote:Where in continuity does this issue for?
It appears to take place between Optimus Prime #14 and #15, before the TAAO Annual.
I think it's also after, as we have Starscream in his rise to power commissioning the movie, and after his confession in the TAAO annual (he has the hologram of his 'good' self) towards the end of the movie's production.
Posted by Sunstar on February 28th, 2018 @ 1:39am CST
Va'al wrote:Daniel Adkins wrote:Targetmaster Kup wrote:Where in continuity does this issue for?
It appears to take place between Optimus Prime #14 and #15, before the TAAO Annual.
I think it's also after, as we have Starscream in his rise to power commissioning the movie, and after his confession in the TAAO annual (he has the hologram of his 'good' self) towards the end of the movie's production.
Sooo... do you think I'll like it?
Posted by Va'al on February 28th, 2018 @ 3:53am CST
Sunstar wrote:Va'al wrote:Daniel Adkins wrote:Targetmaster Kup wrote:Where in continuity does this issue for?
It appears to take place between Optimus Prime #14 and #15, before the TAAO Annual.
I think it's also after, as we have Starscream in his rise to power commissioning the movie, and after his confession in the TAAO annual (he has the hologram of his 'good' self) towards the end of the movie's production.
Sooo... do you think I'll like it?
It's a Thundercracker story that revolves around Starscream. It's not a Starscream story, though he is the catalyst, if you will.
Briefly: I have no idea. But it's a good book.
Posted by Chibi Starscream on February 28th, 2018 @ 5:44am CST
Posted by Ironhidensh on February 28th, 2018 @ 9:32am CST
Posted by Va'al on February 28th, 2018 @ 11:12am CST
(Spoiler free-ish)
Synopsis
The Falling, Part 2: The arrival of Onyx Prime throws Cybertron into chaos—because he hasn’t come alone. Onyx’s treacherous companion forces Soundwave to finally make a choice: is Optimus Prime a friend... or foe?
Story
John Barber is extremely busy this week, with his handiwork appearing in two major stories for the Optimus Prime series, and one of his greatest strengths appears loud and clear in both: his knowledge of the franchise and how to weave together multiple pasts into something that makes complete and utter sense in a new story thread, be it through one line comments to Aligned, cameos from Beast Wars, or anything in the Annual (see review here!).
To add to all that, Barber's Soundwave is one of the better developed, multi-faceted, and narratively functional for experimentation in script and page layout characters that has emerged out of the IDW universe of Transformers - and this issue cements it. You almost miss the point of view just before the climax of the issue, until you realise you hadn't, you just skipped a beat.
That said, I'll also reiterate what I had mentioned previously to ScottyP about Onyx Prime, with an added caveat that comes out of this issue specifically: he is terrifying, imposing, well-crafted and grounded in enough lore and versions of reality to make him come across as the threat that he is, and what his presence means to the different characters who face him.
With those two major points in mind, though, there is one dangling issue I want to address with regards to the pacing and the narration: the story will most definitely feel chaotic, fragmented even, at times - but hold on to those fragments, as they serve a purpose, and they're never entirely unintentional.
Art
Kei Zama on lineart truly does wonders with her darker inks and shadows, even for an issue that deals a lot more with nuance than it might initially look like. The art, then, perfectly fits the script, the fear and threat that both Onyx Prime and Liege Maximo have brought to Cybertron are physically palpable. Additionally, the page and panel layouts are gorgeous and gorgeously functional, especially with Soundwave at the centre.
And if Zama's art is well suited to the script, Josh Burcham's colouring work on the lineart just makes sure that is most definitely indeed the case. It helps us work through the fragments and the parallels alike, where the art might at times throw a little more shade over comprehension than is perhaps necessary.
What is left of the visuals, then, is what holds the narrative together - which would otherwise be a headache-inducing task, were it not for the balancing act of Tom B Long and his careful lettering of dialogue, captions, and placing on the page and in the panels. There is no unintended misdirection.
As for the covers, the one thumbnailed spotlights Casey Coller and John-Paul Bove's variant for this arc, with the silhouette suggesting the point of view taken in the issue. The other two, the main Zama/Burcham early Cybertron take on a happy family (*my heart*) and the Marcelo Matere (no colour credit given) Prime on Prime action can both be seen in our database entry here.
Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead
Any story that features John Barber's Soundwave is already looking good to me (there are some exceptions in the recent past, but let me have this), and linking current day situations with the character's parallels from his own personal and ideological past is a great way to frame a story that already did something similar, yet entirely different, with the Mistress of Flame last month.
There is politics, there is personality, there is a strand of dark humour that just works when spoken deadpan (again, Soundwave) and with the artistic team working so hard to make this story come across for the weighty matter that it is, you might even miss a twist that may or may not be there - but if it is, and once it kicks in, you'll grin worse that Onyx Prime's apparently permanent grimace.
Posted by Randomhero on February 28th, 2018 @ 11:18am CST
That said I loved the issue all around. Really great!
Posted by Sunstar on February 28th, 2018 @ 11:46am CST
Posted by Va'al on February 28th, 2018 @ 1:08pm CST
Posted by ScottyP on February 28th, 2018 @ 1:55pm CST
Yeah it tooks me a few days and a couple reads to really work it out. I got it in one read, but appreciated it after the second.Va'al wrote:That is a thing I do not have a hard time imagining. As I said in the review, it works for having Soundwave as the narrator/POV - but it doesn't make it easier on the brain power.
Posted by Counterpunch on February 28th, 2018 @ 2:54pm CST
I think, it all comes down to, "Onyx Prime...have you come to draw us together or pull us apart?" -- "Sometimes, Mistress...a leader must do one to accomplish the other."
So, all the players are eventually brought into one place, literally drawn together.
The explosion happens. I don't know how or why.
Doubt is cast among them all. A unified Cybertron is in disorder.
Liege Maximo is left smiling.
What I don't know...
Is Onyx Prime a part of Maximo's plan? I don't think so because he seems genuinely pissed off about Alpha Trion.
What happened to Soundwave? I think somehow Maximo influenced him and broke down the control Soundwave showed at the start of the book.
Is there an unreliable narrator here? Was some part of what we saw and read not truthful?
Posted by Randomhero on February 28th, 2018 @ 7:14pm CST
There has still been no talk of doing a POTP event like Combiner Wars and Titans Return for IDW and we know POTP line is only going till december.
Posted by Sunstar on March 1st, 2018 @ 1:05am CST
Where Starscream wants to send a message to the outside, is he the reason the guys attack thunder?
Posted by Randomhero on March 1st, 2018 @ 5:48am CST
Posted by snavej on March 1st, 2018 @ 1:12pm CST
Anyway, I liked the Annual overall: nicely irreverent. Thundercracker is a MACHINE (literally) for writing ultra-clunky dialogue. '... go back to writing fan fiction.' Ha! Burn!
Hackensack is a George Lucas-type director. He's going to be very cheesed off trying to work with Thundercracker, who should really stick to fighting, transport and booming.
Trypticon 'classy'? That's serious sarcasm!
How in hell does Thundercracker (or most other Transformers) use a human-built smartphone with his giant fingers?!
Posted by Sunstar on March 1st, 2018 @ 2:45pm CST
snavej wrote:I'm going to be really annoying and point out a single-letter mistake in the OP Annual: Marissa's speech bubble, 1st panel, page 18, '... who's only it it for himself.' - should be 'in it'.
Anyway, I liked the Annual overall: nicely irreverent. Thundercracker is a MACHINE (literally) for writing ultra-clunky dialogue. '... go back to writing fan fiction.' Ha! Burn!
Hackensack is a George Lucas-type director. He's going to be very cheesed off trying to work with Thundercracker, who should really stick to fighting, transport and booming.
Trypticon 'classy'? That's serious sarcasm!
How in hell does Thundercracker (or most other Transformers) use a human-built smartphone with his giant fingers?!
very carefully. I can barely use one with my tiny fingers.
Posted by SW's SilverHammer on March 1st, 2018 @ 11:28pm CST
Posted by ScottyP on March 2nd, 2018 @ 9:03am CST
This pleases me. The narrative wasn't/isn't leading to anything resembling the toy line!Randomhero wrote:So I talked to John Barber on Twitter. No power of the Primes event for IDW
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on March 3rd, 2018 @ 8:08pm CST
You can check out the cover below, as well as the description of the book, and let us know what you think in the comments section below!
Darkness falls over Cybertron as the legendary Onyx Prime returns, throwing the planet into chaos! What does this mean for Optimus Prime--and the Earth?
As Onyx and his comrades sow panic and dissension on Cybertron, Windblade defends an already tense planet against a secret that could shatter it forever, Soundwave questions a fragile alliance, and Optimus confronts a mystery that goes back millions of years.
Collects Transformers: Optimus Prime issues #15-21.
Posted by Targetmaster Kup on March 23rd, 2018 @ 10:13am CDT
Posted by Va'al on March 23rd, 2018 @ 11:51am CDT
Targetmaster Kup wrote:Not sure why, possibly extreme delays, but OP #17 & #18 we taken off the shipping calendar as reported to ComicList at http://www.comiclist.com/index.php/list ... 03-21-2018
As far as I know, OP 17 was moved to April 18, meaning OP 18 will also have to move along
Posted by Va'al on March 29th, 2018 @ 4:02am CDT
You can check them out below, as Devastator takes centre stage on the first one, and Solus Prime hammering away in her forge on the latter - and then join the conversation in the Energon Pub!
Optimus Prime #17 cover
Written by: John Barber
Art by: me
Colors by: Josh Burcham @dcjosh
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editor: David Mariotte
Optimus Prime #18 cover
Written by John Barber
Interior art by Livio Ramondelli and Pitre-Durocher @spewpew
Colors by Josh Burcham @dcjosh
Letters by: Tom B. Long
Editor: David Mariotte
Posted by ZeroWolf on March 29th, 2018 @ 4:05am CDT
Posted by Manterax Prime on March 29th, 2018 @ 9:25am CDT
ZeroWolf wrote:Solus prime is looking very good in that art, would be nice if we eventually got full sized figures for all the primes. So far by my count we got four (five if you got nexus prime from he club)
Alpha Trion, Optimus, Megatronus........who's the fourth?
Posted by ZeroWolf on March 29th, 2018 @ 9:59am CDT
Posted by Manterax Prime on March 29th, 2018 @ 10:15am CDT
ZeroWolf wrote:We got vector prime in the cybertron line
D'oh! I forgot.
Posted by Rodimus Knight on March 29th, 2018 @ 2:31pm CDT
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on March 29th, 2018 @ 5:55pm CDT
Posted by Rodimus Prime on April 4th, 2018 @ 2:10am CDT
I haven't read about Megatronia being in IDW, it would be awesome if she showed up to fight Victorion. Assuming Vicky survives the fight against big Devy.
Posted by ZeroWolf on April 4th, 2018 @ 2:51am CDT
Posted by Daniel Adkins on April 4th, 2018 @ 6:42am CDT
Rodimus Prime wrote:I haven't kept up with this title, but I was in my local book store today and saw a copy of volume 2 on the shelf. I picked it up and perused it, and I was totally lost. There seemed to be no coherent story whatsoever, just a bunch of individual stories thrown together. Is that how OP is? No consistent story arc throughout, just a bunch of stuff?
I haven't read about Megatronia being in IDW, it would be awesome if she showed up to fight Victorion. Assuming Vicky survives the fight against big Devy.
Not everything needs to be six-part story arcs. Personally, I prefer shorter stories and when comics can give me a complete story in a single issue. And of course, they do make a coherent, serialized narrative if you actually read the issues.