Full Preview for IDW Transformers: Unicron #2

Now that's interesting, will unicron be something that ancient cybertonians created (or more likely) be something that thy came across and woke up when they should have left be. Plus with the title 'strange eons' I'm getting small lovecraftian vibes...which I'm a-okay with!

ZeroWolf wrote:Now that's interesting, will unicron be something that ancient cybertonians created (or more likely) be something that thy came across and woke up when they should have left be. Plus with the title 'strange eons' I'm getting small lovecraftian vibes...which I'm a-okay with!

I love speculating about the comics but without unicron I just can’t. I don’t think he’s robot Satan and I don’t think Primus existed or was a god and I can’t even fathom what he is. I’m really going into this series with no speculations for once. I feel like Shockwave In Marvel when he see unicron and his brain breaks.

“Can’t...figure...out...logic...logic...not...makes...sense...”

Decepticon Vengeance Division, eh? That's pretty cool! And the acronym is ironically funny. Who's afraid of the D.V.D.?

Oh god re the Decepticons pulling a nova corps from guardians of the galaxy!? That’s not gonna work guys!

Review coming tomorrow once more from yours truly! 2 things are blocking me at the moment, and one of them is trying to figure out which 5 Skillet songs I plan to use for the issues and which one may work best since I have almost no clue.

BTW, The marriage of artist and colorist for the series is absolutely killer.

Synopsis

Bumblebee investigates a dark corner of Cybertron’s past, searching for answers: what is Unicron, and why does it want to destroy Cybertron? Meanwhile, Windblade scrambles to figure out a plan as Chromia makes her return—with a Decepticon fleet in pursuit!

Story

And here we are again, on issue 2 of 6 of the grand IDW finale. Unicron is here. Unicron has killed planets and fan favorites. Unicron is unstoppable and unquestionably powerful.

Does part 2 of the tale live up to the hype? Just wait and see!



So to catch up, Issue 0 was the first attack by Unicron, and in a way Issue 1 was a longer version of 0 with some more material and more action and attack and Maximals. So issue 2 was the fallout, the scene of defeat, the realization that Unicron had no weakness and burns full bore for Cybertron now. And the way the different characters were placed in that context was quite enjoyable to read.

We get some good ole fashioned Starscream, to an extent. We get some optimistic Bumblebee, paired with the used to be equally as optimistic but still very eager to at least do something Aileron, and then Optimus, more Starscream, and the council. Old plotlines and characterizations continue, even older plotlines and characters make returns, and it all blends together quite well. We got some history, we got some resolutions, and we got more questions to be asked. And we got a killer final 2 pages.



Story wise, Starscream is a standout here. Also important is Bludgeon, and his attack on Unicron and position in the grand scheme of things. At this point, Bludgeon is a con to keep an eye on, like really, go back and read all his adventures post Death of Optimus Prime, and then finish with this one.



Finally, as a nod to the Hasbro Universe itself, we get 3 different stories worth of appearances and 2 different creation/backstories, with the 3rd actually being a back up comic featuring a well known Maximal and the final stand of Scarlett's Strike Force.

Is it a filler issue? Yes, it is. It is the lull between storms. Is it a boring or not overly good filler? Absolutely not. It gives us so much, it still gives action, it still has the characters, it still has all the moments, and it has the perfect build up and a great lead in to the next. It is serialized, but it does not suffer all that badly for it.

And in case you forgot, Skywarp is equally as fun as Starscream. Now all we needed was a Thundercracker appearance and we would have had seeker gold.



Art

Simply put, the marriage of artist and colorist for this series could not have been any more perfect. And this is not just me, this is the Seibertron.com review room talking here folks. You cannot beat the lines of Milne fused with the colors of Cheng. You can't, it's that simple.



The vast backgrounds and equally vast cast, the uniqueness of each Cybertronian's design, the fun of space and the grounds of Cybertron, it all looks and feels so good. And it owes everything to Milne and Cheng. They have done fantastic for all 3 Unicron titles released so far, and there is no indication that we should expect less in the remaining 4. And if the last page is anything to go by, epic will still fail to describe the coming events.

And a final nod to the important final part of the art team: Tom B. Long. Letters are so easy to overlook, but in this issue, between Bludgeon, Omega Supreme, and the rest of the cast, the letters get a chance to shine, and it is fantastic at how many different ways you can create a conversation.

Well done crew!

Final Thoughts



As you can tell, this issue was mainly character driven, by interactions between characters fresh back for their final appearances. It has some action, some backstory, some main story, and bit of final payoffs. It was a good story with excellent art, and a great lead in that managed to not bore the audience nor make them think anything less than a good story is ahead.

With that all in mind, despite what we learned here, next issue cannot come soon enough. We have reached what appears to be the big moment fairly early in the story. While it may not be the climax of the story itself, it still will be big and fun, especially with characters by Barber and art by Milne, Cheng, and Long.

Have a score, and let's get on to that issue 3 folks.



And finally, as with all Unicron reviews, we feature a Skillet song as the theme for this review, and ultimately for things to come.

Good review d-max! To think we're already a third of the way through this series...

Good stuff in here D-Max!

The way in which Starscream is being re-used, with Optimus Prime's reaction to it all, is a very nice way of playing with a character that has been established as mercurial but also considering the developments he's been through in recent stories.

I do wonder what on earth Bumblebee's role in all of this is, and I'm still not too keen on his return right now. Much as I wasn't with Shockwave. I mean, what's done is done, but still...


As for Unicron's true nature, and that organic character showing up - I know there's a lot of talk about that behind the scenes, but I don't know what I make of it. Yet.

Having caught up with the whole thing, I really just want to see Unicron devour a universe in its full before he dies, if he even dies considering he has pretty much all of Shockwave's ores on him. But I hope that with Megatron's return things take a change, hoping Megatron isn't a Decepticon again which seems unlikely.

But Unicron needs to be able to devour an entire universe in our view for once, we've been told he's done it before but we've never seen it happen apart from a few planets getting eaten. In fact, I feel as if I might be the only one wants Unicron to win and devour everything. So All hail Unicron, the Chaos Bringer.

Having caught up with the whole thing, I really just want to see Unicron devour a universe in its full before he dies, if he even dies considering he has pretty much all of Shockwave's ores on him. But I hope that with Megatron's return things take a change, hoping Megatron isn't a Decepticon again which seems unlikely.

But Unicron needs to be able to devour an entire universe in our view for once, we've been told he's done it before but we've never seen it happen apart from a few planets getting eaten. In fact, I feel as if I might be the only one wants Unicron to win and devour everything. So All hail Unicron, the Chaos Bringer.

Hate to break it to you but I doubt the return of that character will impact the unicron series. Would love to be wrong but everyone involved with ll is just going to sit this one out.

Steponahen Day wrote:Having caught up with the whole thing, I really just want to see Unicron devour a universe in its full before he dies, if he even dies considering he has pretty much all of Shockwave's ores on him. But I hope that with Megatron's return things take a change, hoping Megatron isn't a Decepticon again which seems unlikely.

But Unicron needs to be able to devour an entire universe in our view for once, we've been told he's done it before but we've never seen it happen apart from a few planets getting eaten. In fact, I feel as if I might be the only one wants Unicron to win and devour everything. So All hail Unicron, the Chaos Bringer.

Yeah I kinda want a continuity that’s been the longest running amount of stories not be destroyed. The series deserves a good ending and Megatron and LL arnt part of this.

Also hate to break it to you but Optimus Prime #25 takes place after unicron #6. It’s an epilogue to the entire IDW-verse. So spoiler alert: they win. Shocking.

Well to be fair, they win...but at what cost? It's going to be fun to see what the fallout is still this universe draws to a close. Though it will be interesting to see how long we'll have to wait till the next iteration begins

ZeroWolf wrote:Well to be fair, they win...but at what cost? It's going to be fun to see what the fallout is still this universe draws to a close. Though it will be interesting to see how long we'll have to wait till the next iteration begins

Probably January.

I don’t even want a new G1 continuity after this. Just do a Cyberverse ongoing to go with that show. Give G1 a break for a while.

I could be open to that Or even do miniseries based on other continuities, like rid 2001 etc

ZeroWolf wrote:Hate to break it to you but I doubt the return of that character will impact the unicron series. Would love to be wrong but everyone involved with ll is just going to sit this one out.

Ya know while reading lost light 22 and halfway through all dialogue of the coming of something that’s a threat to the universe I was literally saying out loud “oh god is this really tied in with Unicron?!” And then the final page reveal made me say “oh thank god!”

I really don’t think it’s going to have to do with Unicron. It’s james story that’s he’s planned since the get go however with Megatron back I am questioning that now. However with him back Lost Light will either end with them heading home and Optimus Prime#25 will be the a reunion with everyone(as it should be since it’s the final al IDW-verse issue coming out in October) or megatron takes whoever is left alive back to the functionalist universe.

I’m kinda good with either.

Cybertron isn’t surviving. I’ve made peace with that. The last stand will be on earth and when they defeat unicron earth will be this place everyone lives together.

Randomhero wrote:I don’t even want a new G1 continuity after this. Just do a Cyberverse ongoing to go with that show. Give G1 a break for a while.

I'd be down for that.

ZeroWolf wrote:I could be open to that Or even do miniseries based on other continuities, like rid 2001 etc

This too. How long have Animated fans said they'd settle for a comic? Basically forever, yeah?

Never-gonna-happen pipe dream for me: the conclusion of Furman's Energon run gets made.

ScottyP wrote:

Randomhero wrote:I don’t even want a new G1 continuity after this. Just do a Cyberverse ongoing to go with that show. Give G1 a break for a while.

I'd be down for that.

ZeroWolf wrote:I could be open to that Or even do miniseries based on other continuities, like rid 2001 etc

This too. How long have Animated fans said they'd settle for a comic? Basically forever, yeah?

Never-gonna-happen pipe dream for me: the conclusion of Furman's Energon run gets made.

Yeah that’ll never happen for a lot of reasons. Mostly because IDW isn’t gonna she’ll out the cash to give everyone who participated in that series the back pay that Dreamwave didn’t pay them and becuase Simon already released the scripts for the issues never made.

It’s an okay read to see where that series was going but like Worlds Collide it was Furman not using existing characters and toys from the line that it’s suppose to be about which was kind of a middle finger to Energon.

Randomhero wrote:Cybertron isn’t surviving. I’ve made peace with that. The last stand will be on earth and when they defeat unicron earth will be this place everyone lives together.

Unless, hear me out, unless the last issue of LL and OP reconcile the 2 and finish it properly by reuniting everyone either in a functionist universe, or even on one of the 5 Cybertrons that has shown up in LL. Or even Luna 1, since it is still out there.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

Randomhero wrote:Cybertron isn’t surviving. I’ve made peace with that. The last stand will be on earth and when they defeat unicron earth will be this place everyone lives together.

Unless, hear me out, unless the last issue of LL and OP reconcile the 2 and finish it properly by reuniting everyone either in a functionist universe, or even on one of the 5 Cybertrons that has shown up in LL. Or even Luna 1, since it is still out there.

See I have so many issues with those 5 cybertrons. How are they powered? They don’t have a vector sigma? What are they made out of? If they’re pristine and brand new why do they have cities? We’ve seen Cybertron brand new. The matrix reformatted cyberton to how it was when it created and it’s a giant metal ball that’s got an all natural looking surface. It bugs me. I see them exploding honestly. I see those 5 just blowing up as the grand architects plan falls apart.


I see lost light having a full on ending with Rodimus saying “set a course home” and then 25 of Optimus Prime ending with the lost light finding everyone who survived unicron(I really think it’ll be earth) and everyone reunited.


Just please for the love of god don’t end with Rodimus faceplanting on the ground millions of years later and Botanical coming out of a giant metal flower....

You say that like it's already happened...

*remembers the ending of regeneration 1*

Oh...

Randomhero wrote:See I have so many issues with those 5 cybertrons. How are they powered? They don’t have a vector sigma? What are they made out of? If they’re pristine and brand new why do they have cities? We’ve seen Cybertron brand new. The matrix reformatted cyberton to how it was when it created and it’s a giant metal ball that’s got an all natural looking surface.

They're made from a mold using Cybertron as it was at a particular time as the base, not necessarily the planet's original state.

It's like when the Chinese KO companies made G1 Dinobots by recasting molds using the old toys, rather than by re-engineering them from scratch.

ScottyP wrote:

Randomhero wrote:See I have so many issues with those 5 cybertrons. How are they powered? They don’t have a vector sigma? What are they made out of? If they’re pristine and brand new why do they have cities? We’ve seen Cybertron brand new. The matrix reformatted cyberton to how it was when it created and it’s a giant metal ball that’s got an all natural looking surface.

They're made from a mold using Cybertron as it was at a particular time as the base, not necessarily the planet's original state.

It's like when the Chinese KO companies made G1 Dinobots by recasting molds using the old toys, rather than by re-engineering them from scratch.

I know before th issue came out I guess that those were made from the necro world mold and Cybertron wasn’t made it but the mold itself was made from Cybertron.

My problem is how do they work. They don’t jave a vector sigma to power them. And they have cities and an atmosphere! We’ve seen Cybertron brand new becuase that’s what everyone has been living on since the war ended. It doesn’t have cities and roads and they say this is pristine out of the package Cybertron. and these look just like the cartoon Cybertron. In fact that what they’re based on but how do they work? They’re just knock offs but they have power to them becuase they work.

ZeroWolf wrote:You say that like it's already happened...

*remembers the ending of regeneration 1*

Oh...

Yeah that happened...

Took about a year regen ended to go back and reread the series and go “oh this is just awful...”

I always had a problem with the Cybertron 'mold' idea. The effort involved in planet molding would be ludicrously vast. The workforce would number somewhere in the quadrillions. Anyone who's seen construction in progress knows that it is very time-consuming. Surely the Galactic Council would have done something about the project. They wouldn't tolerate such high levels of power-building, posing an existential threat to them. How would the mold be removed without it catching on all the detailed buildings? If someone had the power to mold Cybertrons, he/she could use that same massive power to conquer the galaxy and whatever else was desired.

To be fair, hadn't the grand architect got the council busy by having them fight the consortia? Plus we don't know how they were created (the processes that is). Really we could be over thinking something that Roberts thought sounded cool.

Courtesy of Previews World, and a notification from fellow Seibertronian admin ScottyP, we have a new cover for the IDW Publishing Transformers comics miniseries Unicron and its fourth issue, due later in August.

It looks like we're really headed to Earth after all, with regulars Jazz and Thundercracker joined by Aileron and Stardrive! Check it out below in Alex Milne's lineart and uncredited colourist - probably Josh Perez (or Sebastian Cheng) - and join us for previews and reviews in the coming weeks for more!

TRANSFORMERS UNICRON #4 (OF 6) CVR A MILNE
(W) John Barber (A/CA) Alex Milne
Unicron sets his sights on Earth... but is anyone left to defend it?
*Retailers: See your order form for incentive information.
In Shops: Aug 22, 2018

ZeroWolf wrote:To be fair, hadn't the grand architect got the council busy by having them fight the consortia? Plus we don't know how they were created (the processes that is). Really we could be over thinking something that Roberts thought sounded cool.

You're confusing normal thinking with overthinking. (Actually, that's offensive.) I believe that the 'mold' idea was just a joke about toy-making.

snavej wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:To be fair, hadn't the grand architect got the council busy by having them fight the consortia? Plus we don't know how they were created (the processes that is). Really we could be over thinking something that Roberts thought sounded cool.

You're confusing normal thinking with overthinking. (Actually, that's offensive.) I believe that the 'mold' idea was just a joke about toy-making.

There’s mold on toy they better be recalled people can get sick from it

Human race says'It's not fair that Unicron's killing us, simply because our continuity has become too complex!'.

snavej wrote:Human race says'It's not fair that Unicron's killing us, simply because our continuity has become too complex!'.

Actually you follow Unicrons eyes, he's got it in for the guy wearing the Rom t-shirt

Love that Thundercracker is shielding Buster in his cupped hands.

Big Grim wrote:Love that Thundercracker is shielding Buster in his cupped hands.

You know they are going to kill buster for shock value now you said that...

ZeroWolf wrote:

Big Grim wrote:Love that Thundercracker is shielding Buster in his cupped hands.

You know they are going to kill buster for shock value now you said that...

Oh you know damn well that’s why they beat him. John isn’t gonna kill his own dog

Randomhero wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

Big Grim wrote:Love that Thundercracker is shielding Buster in his cupped hands.

You know they are going to kill buster for shock value now you said that...

Oh you know damn well that’s why they beat him. John isn’t gonna kill his own dog

Where is that nostalgia critic meme about boomer from the first independence day movie when you need it.

Though funny thing is, countless people will die and we'll be expected to feel relieved that one dog survived

Each cover just keeps getting better!

If they kill Buster, I shall refuse to read the remaining IDW books following that issue.

Also, Milne's Unicron covers are fan-frikkin-tastic!!!

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:If they kill Buster, I shall refuse to read the remaining IDW books following that issue.

Also, Milne's Unicron covers are fan-frikkin-tastic!!!

What if they kill him last panel, and then end with a Furmanism?

ZeroWolf wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:If they kill Buster, I shall refuse to read the remaining IDW books following that issue.

Also, Milne's Unicron covers are fan-frikkin-tastic!!!

What if they kill him last panel, and then end with a Furmanism?

Then I'll refuse to buy the TPB and any IDW book ever again once the reboot starts

That's harsh, but as someone who hates animal violence in real life and in cartoons (not tom and jerry style violence but Elfen Lied style violence...don't ask) I can sympathise. It's weird, kill humans and it barely does anything (unless a fan favourite character) but kill an animal and that's it. I think more people would kick off over buster dying on panel, then did over the pointless death of Kup

ZeroWolf wrote:That's harsh, but as someone who hates animal violence in real life and in cartoons (not tom and jerry style violence but Elfen Lied style violence...don't ask) I can sympathise. It's weird, kill humans and it barely does anything (unless a fan favourite character) but kill an animal and that's it. I think more people would kick off over buster dying on panel, then did over the pointless death of Kup

I mean, I was kidding about the not buying again. But I wholly agree on animal violence.

I have a really hard time with movies that kill animals. Humans, eh. robots, eh. Dogs or cats: I cannot watch them again, if ever once I hear about it.

That said, I will be super depressed if they would kill Buster. Sadder than any other death in the book

Spoiler alert

Cobra commander runs in the panel just to kick buster

Randomhero wrote:Spoiler alert

Cobra commander runs in the panel just to kick buster

Hah!

ZeroWolf wrote:

snavej wrote:Human race says'It's not fair that Unicron's killing us, simply because our continuity has become too complex!'.

Actually you follow Unicrons eyes, he's got it in for the guy wearing the Rom t-shirt

That's what happens to such awful people!

We have three more previews of IDW Publishing Transformers comics, coming from both the publisher themselves and regular outlet iTunes for the one included below to begin with - a three page preview for the third issue of the Unicron mini-series, as we reach the mid-way point of this final event in the narrative universe.

Check out the three mirrored pages below, and be ready for a longer preview and full issue soon.

Unicron #3

Unicron approaches Cybertron, so Windblade enacts a desperate plan—one neither Optimus Prime nor Starscream agree with! Has Windblade outmaneuvered Shockwave's machinations—or played right into his deadly hand?

Ah Starscream, a smart coward till the end. I'm completely in awe of unicron's idw Robot mode, when can we get that as a figure?

Already I'm amazed. Can't wait for this issue!

Fellow Seibertronian Sunstar has pointed us towards the first of the full previews that will appear between now and Wednesday, for the IDW Publishing Transformers comics, on Previews World. Specifically, we're looking at the big bad itself, the third chapter of the Unicron mini-series - mirrored in full below for your own convenience - and starting to shed some light on the origin of the Uncreator itself.

Take a look, and start speculating on the story before the full book release next week!

Transformers: Unicron #3 (of 6)
(W) John Barber (A/CA) Alex Milne

Unicron approaches Cybertron, so Windblade enacts a desperate plan-one neither Optimus Prime nor Starscream agree with! Has Windblade outmaneuvered Shockwave's machinations-or played right into his deadly hand?

In Shops: August 8, 2018

SRP: $4.99

damn fine art