IDW Transformers: Till All Are One #8 Variant Cover by Nelson Daniel

OOOh, any idea when?

Sunstar wrote:OOOh, any idea when?

Which one?

You have a point - TAAO

iTunes has updated with the next Transformers comic preview, this time in the form of Till All Are One #8! Issue 8 picks up where 7 left off, with the evil Titan Vigilem coming online, and it features Metroplex realizing the great evil has once again awoken, despite taking his name and his memories from him. Check out the preview below and let us know what you think in the comments section!

This is it: the final stand for Cybertron! Will Starscream and Windblade’s gamble finally pay off or will all of Iacon be destroyed by the zombie titans?

Oh, this just keeps getting better and better!

I don't want to be too much of a wet blanket, but does this story ever actually go anywhere? I dropped all the Transformers comics over a year ago, at least, when the synopsis for every issues was "Titans walking around; Starscream and Windblade stare at each other and try to determine whether or not they've done something bad!"

The Titans Return aftermath ends in TAAO 8

Nik Hero wrote:Oh, this just keeps getting better and better!

I hear ya. I'm loving Lost Light and Til All Are One! Both are just awesome!

Definitely agree on that. I really hope this gets to be a full-on ongoing instead of being yet another short series that we'll get a sequel to in a year. That situation's plagued the Windblade comics since they began and I'd love to see it remedied...

Kurona wrote:Definitely agree on that. I really hope this gets to be a full-on ongoing instead of being yet another short series that we'll get a sequel to in a year. That situation's plagued the Windblade comics since they began and I'd love to see it remedied...

I'd like to think it will. This series is more Cybertron-and-its-inhabitants focused than JUST focused on Windblade. Optimus Prime is focused on Earth, and Lost Light on outer space. Three very different stages for different stories to focus on. If the solicits for issue #9 aren't misleading, it'll focus mostly on Chromia, Starscream, and the council, and The Mistress of Flame will likely be sitting in for Windblade as she did in the Annual.

Also in comic news today, Newsarama has uploaded the full preview for IDW's Till All Are One #8, which is set to finish off the Titans Return story arc! Check out the preview, and get ready for some mass chaos as the evil titan Vigilem comes online!

Ooooh, this is gonna be good.

My guess is, Windblade is able to keep Vigilem dormant, but take control of his body (parts of which he took from Tempo) to fight off the zombie Titans. But the strain is too much, and she goes into stasis lock.

business is about to pick up

Good lord, Elita looks...robust.

Black Hat wrote:Good lord, Elita looks...robust.

She's a tough old bird, that Elita

So.... how about that Liege Maximo?

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:So.... how about that Liege Maximo?

Do you think more people will be willing to try it now that Windblade is apparently dead for a while?

Lots of people claimed that as their biggest problem with the series.

Nik Hero wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:So.... how about that Liege Maximo?

Do you think more people will be willing to try it now that Windblade is dead?

Lots of people claimed that as their biggest problem with the series.

But the thing is... A. she's not dead. Other issues already out confirmed it

B. The whole point of this series is to be spotlight: Starscream and Windblade, so it doesn't make sense that taking her away would solve problems cause she is basically the series, or at least half of it

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Nik Hero wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:So.... how about that Liege Maximo?

Do you think more people will be willing to try it now that Windblade is dead?

Lots of people claimed that as their biggest problem with the series.

But the thing is... A. she's not dead. Other issues already out confirmed it

B. The whole point of this series is to be spotlight: Starscream and Windblade, so it doesn't make sense that taking her away would solve problems cause she is basically the series, or at least half of it

C. She's a pretty damn good character honestly. It's a shame CW Machinima and Hasbro's shilling her out at every opportunity makes her extremely unappealing on the surface because I find it very easy to put her in the top 5 best female Transformers characters.

Ok, so I just came to a realization: the whole 13 ores ending up on the planets that the 13 primes ended up on is starting to fall apart more.

it was already in danger because of Alpha Trion being on cybertron, thus leaving 13 ores to 12 primes, and then micronus being in a whole other universe (though the entropy cloud as an ore can still be said to make sense).

But this does break it. Liege Maximo was onboard Carcer AKA Vigilem, who I really think had some salvaged Tempo parts forming him, hence how Metroplex detected that titan as Tempo. But if Liege Maximo was on board that titan the whole time, then was the titan resting on a planet where an ore was planted, only to take off later? or is this a continuity order with the 13 ores and the 13 primes?

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Ok, so I just came to a realization: the whole 13 ores ending up on the planets that the 13 primes ended up on is starting to fall apart more.

it was already in danger because of Alpha Trion being on cybertron, thus leaving 13 ores to 12 primes, and then micronus being in a whole other universe (though the entropy cloud as an ore can still be said to make sense).

But this does break it. Liege Maximo was onboard Carcer AKA Vigilem, who I really think had some salvaged Tempo parts forming him, hence how Metroplex detected that titan as Tempo. But if Liege Maximo was on board that titan the whole time, then was the titan resting on a planet where an ore was planted, only to take off later? or is this a continuity order with the 13 ores and the 13 primes?

IIRC, Shockwave planted the Ores where he thought the Primes had gone. There was no indication of just how correct he was, if he got all of them right if any at all; nor any indication of if he knew Trion was a Prime or not. It's very possible that Shockwave was simply incorrect.

I think this series is only primarily about Windblade if you have a preconceived notion framing it that way and you aren't able to divorce said notion from your thoughts. This particular series has done an excellent job of building more of an ensemble feeling and giving other minor characters more moderate roles and making supporting cast of the past come front and center. She's a main character, yes, but not always the focus character.

Yeah, this particular issue focuses quite a bit on Windblade, but also on Chromia. And Elita. And Titans. Some Ironhide and Starscream too, plus Obsidian filling a nice role, and of course the spoiler mentioned several times above.

I agree that some haters wrongly think this is Windblade Vol. 3, so maybe if they thought this issue ended that, they might jump on.

Nik Hero wrote:I agree that some haters wrongly think this is Windblade Vol. 3, so maybe if they thought this issue ended that, they might jump on.

I hope so! The print sales figures are not good. This is just as good and some months even better than OP and LL, at least for me.

Lost Light lost me. I'm dropping Optimus Prime after #6. The coloring drives me nuts, but I'm a fool for Shartikons and Junkions. TAAO is the best of the 3 for sure!

I think all three ongoings are doing pretty great in the grand scheme of things; just at the moment OP and LL are a bit bogged down by being restarted as 'new' books and the burdens that come with that.

Synopsis
This is it: the final stand for Cybertron! Will Starscream and Windblade’s gamble finally pay off or will all of Iacon be destroyed by the zombie titans?



Story

We know how this story ends. We know from solicitations and other ongoings that have a differed timeline in the storytelling. We know that the Titans are defeated, and that something happens on Cybertron and Caminus that requires the Mistress of Flame to show up, and wider repercussions. But we did not know it would happen like this.



This is the culmination of an action sequence that started three issues ago, one that began much earlier, and one sustained excellently through the arc, while trying to deal with one landscape of scenarios so crowded and multi-sided that anything wrong would've tipped it all off. It didn't. It doesn't.



The most surprising part? Metroplex is the one voice running through the story, as the ties he and his kind have to Carcer/Vigilem are the ones that Windblade must use, exploit and endure to bring an end to the Titans' return at the hands of Infinitus/Sentinel and Sovereign (yeah, remember them, that long while ago?). And it works, in such a powerful, moving, way. The connection is palpable.



There are two stories being told here, through Windblade and Carcer, Vigilem and Metroplex: one has to do with Titans Return, and the end of that story arc; the other has to do with the entire TFverse, and digs much deeper than some of Windblade's moments have done so far (go back to the Revolution tie-in, for example). Both are poignant, neither detracts from the other, and they deliver blows of equal violence - as only Scott's evil writing can do.

Art

Sara Pitre Durocher truly, really shines in the issue. She combines the use of layers and contrasts, playing with negative space and foregrounds, sizes and overlays in such a way as to convey the scale - and not just in a tangible sense - metal warfare, as well as physical, are exquisitely portrayed in a very concrete way, and the designs of some newcomers (of sorts) only add to that.



Those uses of negative space and contrast? They wouldn't be as effective without the perfect synchronised work of Joana Lafuente's colours, playing with the layers, adding shadows and light where the two can bring the most to the panel, shutting out either where only one suffices. Adding transparency to some overlays. Allowing us to savour the art on its many battlefields.



TAAO has always brought some fascinating ways of using Titan brain modules and captions into the storytelling, and with Metroplex taking centre narratorial stage, Tom B. Long has some significantly hefty work on his plate, which he also delivers, as usual, effortlessly. And cover-wise, we have seen two out of three with Pitre-Durocher on the looming main, Priscilla Tramontano on the thumbnailed ominous silhouette, and Nelson Daniel (found in our database entry) taking the Awesome Twosome to front page material.

Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

The three current ongoing series from IDW Publishing all have their degrees of excellence, and appeal to slightly different readerships perhaps: Till All Are One, for me, maintains the perfect balance of lore shaking/building, character development, sustained action (it just did so for over four issues) and the more light hearted sides - even with darker humour - of the series. And it does so with such glee and revelling in its twisted, even darker plot turns.



What has just happened may probably not be revisited soon enough, as there will be a settling arc and story to follow this up as we find out what happens to its key players. There will be more, so much more to come now that some of the even BIGGER players are on the board; or perhaps, starting to move from outside the board altogether. I am most definitely in for the ride - you coming?

Next month...

Va'al wrote:

welp, there it is

YAY! You listened to me!

Va'al wrote:

What most fans see when they hear or see the name 'Windblade'

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Va'al wrote:

welp, there it is

YAY! You listened to me!

Always do, I'm just quiet about it.

Kurona wrote:What most fans see when they hear or see the name 'Windblade'

Nevertheless, she persisted.

Va'al wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Va'al wrote:

welp, there it is

YAY! You listened to me!

Always do, I'm just quiet about it.

Hmm, being literal or a slight dig at how I talk too much?

You decide!

But really though, this was a great issue. TAAO has done some amazing things within the minds of cybertronians. First Bruticus, then this!

Now that the titan arc seems to have finally come to a end, it looks like the next part of the series is about to begin. Prime Wars. Can't wait to see how this pans out with Onyx Prime and Liege Maximo being introduced into the series. Also I wonder if they'll mention anything about the Mistress of Flame believing Optimus is the Thirteenth Prime or as she puts it he is The Arisen

Optimus Prime13th wrote:Now that the titan arc seems to have finally come to a end, it looks like the next part of the series is about to begin. Prime Wars. Can't wait to see how this pans out with Onyx Prime and Liege Maximo being introduced into the series. Also I wonder if they'll mention anything about the Mistress of Flame believing Optimus is the Thirteenth Prime or as she puts it he is The Arisen

She's back next month, so we'll find out soon enough!

Speaking of sales, TAAO is not that much lower that the other Transformers Books:

#211 Optimus Prime 4

#214 Lost Light 2

#231 Lost Light 3

#242 Till All Are One 7

#263 Revolutionaries 2

And they all sell better than any of the other Hasbro Universe comics (Other than Jem), so I would not be too worried at this time.

Even though the Thirteen in IDW are not these got like deities I still get chills when one shows up. I am getting really pumped for what's coming. It's a real interesting spin on the Thirteen that they are not good guys. So far the only ones we know are good is Optimus. Micronus doesn't seem bad but who knows and I'm now on the fence with Alpha trion. Some of the stuff he's done has been real shady. Really makes me think that when they come back they're all gonna come together and try and wipe everyone out to start over. That is something I want to see. I want to see an evil version of Prima because he's always been labeled as a goody-goody.

Kurona wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Ok, so I just came to a realization: the whole 13 ores ending up on the planets that the 13 primes ended up on is starting to fall apart more.

it was already in danger because of Alpha Trion being on cybertron, thus leaving 13 ores to 12 primes, and then micronus being in a whole other universe (though the entropy cloud as an ore can still be said to make sense).

But this does break it. Liege Maximo was onboard Carcer AKA Vigilem, who I really think had some salvaged Tempo parts forming him, hence how Metroplex detected that titan as Tempo. But if Liege Maximo was on board that titan the whole time, then was the titan resting on a planet where an ore was planted, only to take off later? or is this a continuity order with the 13 ores and the 13 primes?

IIRC, Shockwave planted the Ores where he thought the Primes had gone. There was no indication of just how correct he was, if he got all of them right if any at all; nor any indication of if he knew Trion was a Prime or not. It's very possible that Shockwave was simply incorrect.

I don't think Shockwave was wrong. Alpha Trion confirmed in that Galvatron story that Shockwave knew and hid lot of stuff and one of the things he knew was where the colonies were and that's where he launched the ores. It's like I've been saying, where there's an Ore there is or was a colony/Titan and where there's those there is or was a prime. Not all the ores fermented or mutated like he wanted. During Dark Cybertron he only collected the ones that were altered for his plan. Several of those ores didn't work out or became standard energon like the energon on Caminus, Eurakis, Prion, velocitron and Devisiun. All those planets and colonies have or had energon and energon is only natural on Cybertron. It can't grow anywhere else naturally (said by jetfire allllllll the way back in stormbringer) which would mean some of Shockwaves ores had to have landed on those planets or colonies.

This is Why I'm hoping Shockwave returns before Power of the Primes starts or when it starts because what he's done and what he's knows is very important.

Va'al wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Va'al wrote:

welp, there it is

YAY! You listened to me!

Always do, I'm just quiet about it.

Kurona wrote:What most fans see when they hear or see the name 'Windblade'

Nevertheless, she persisted.

She's not dead. Mistress Flame said in OP 3 she's recuperating from what's happened in this issue.

If there's a Titan everywhere Ores are then I hope Elonia's Titan is Ejector.

Earth already messes that up since the Titan there doesn't arrive until the 2012 RiD Annual. Unless there's a second one someplace.

ScottyP wrote:If there's a Titan everywhere Ores are then I hope Elonia's Titan is Ejector.

Earth already messes that up since the Titan there doesn't arrive until the 2012 RiD Annual. Unless there's a second one someplace.

And that's what I've been thinking since the beginning. That there's another Titan on earth or Metrotitan was suppose to go to earth but he wasn't able to for whatever reason and he stayed on Cybertron till Dai atlas took him. Once he awoke he went back to Cybertron and then he went to earth after like he was always meant to.

But I do think there is another Titan. Soundwave said human minds are just like cybertronians in ways which has always lead me to believe humans are the fully organic cybertronians and our "souls" are sparks. Little fanfic wanky but would justify earth being a colony and why an ore is there.

Randomhero wrote:

Va'al wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Va'al wrote:

welp, there it is

YAY! You listened to me!

Always do, I'm just quiet about it.

Kurona wrote:What most fans see when they hear or see the name 'Windblade'

Nevertheless, she persisted.

She's not dead. Mistress Flame said in OP 3 she's recuperating from what's happened in this issue.

I didn't think we were suggesting she was dead.

Va'al wrote:

Randomhero wrote:

Va'al wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Va'al wrote:

welp, there it is

YAY! You listened to me!

Always do, I'm just quiet about it.

Kurona wrote:What most fans see when they hear or see the name 'Windblade'

Nevertheless, she persisted.

She's not dead. Mistress Flame said in OP 3 she's recuperating from what's happened in this issue.

I didn't think we were suggesting she was dead.

Sorry i miss read that as "perished" instead I persisted. Wow...sorry lol

Still wondering what Titan and Prime colonized Junkion. If I had to guess though my money would be Prima.

Randomhero wrote:Sorry i miss read that as "perished" instead I persisted. Wow...sorry lol

Oooh gotcha! Fair fair, but yes, no illusion about recovery, as I hinted at in review too.
We knew how it would end up, just not how it would get to that point.

Optimus Prime13th wrote:Still wondering what Titan and Prime colonized Junkion. If I had to guess though my money would be Prima.

I've been thinking Almagalmus or alchemist for Junkion.

Tempo has to be Vectors since Temp is Italian for time which raises the question what happened to Tempo since Elita originally said they renamed Tempo Carcer and we know that was a cover but that still begs the question what happened to Tempo.

Little nitpick but I really with IDW would have made their own designs for the thirteen instead using the Aligned designs. I'm sure that prolly was a Hasbro request which I get but I really hate Liege Maximo's design. I'm not a fan of robot Loki.

I really think Tempo was used as parts for Carcer/Vigilem. They found that colony and used it to repair their own, hence how Metroplex detected Carcer as Tempo first.

Also, a bit of shameless plugging here, but I created a thread that tries to keep up with the 13 Primes, Titans, and ores in IDW as a reference for everything that is exploding onto the scene.

Here it is: idw-the-13-primes-titans-and-colonies-t108628.php

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:I really think Tempo was used as parts for Carcer/Vigilem. They found that colony and used it to repair their own, hence how Metroplex detected Carcer as Tempo first.

Agreed, though I wouldn't necessarily write Tempo off just yet. Unless I'm mistaken what Metroplex was reading was just the signatures of the spacebridge each Titan held, so it's entirely possible that a spacebridge-less Tempo is still out there somewhere with little means of contacting other Titans (possibly with Vector in tow, I don't think we've actually seen his IDW incarnation at all yet)

Randomhero wrote:

Optimus Prime13th wrote:Still wondering what Titan and Prime colonized Junkion. If I had to guess though my money would be Prima.

I've been thinking Almagalmus or alchemist for Junkion.

Tempo has to be Vectors since Temp is Italian for time which raises the question what happened to Tempo since Elita originally said they renamed Tempo Carcer and we know that was a cover but that still begs the question what happened to Tempo.

Little nitpick but I really with IDW would have made their own designs for the thirteen instead using the Aligned designs. I'm sure that prolly was a Hasbro request which I get but I really hate Liege Maximo's design. I'm not a fan of robot Loki.

I agree with you on the designs. Especially onyx prime's. It's not a good design.
I've personally been using the old RID Gigatron as onyx on my primes shelf, (that guy screams evil beast prime) so it was disappointing to see him show up in the Drift comic.

Either way I hope if we get toys they will be a little more subdued.

IDW's Onyx Prime is a totally rad flying dragon centaur beast that looks like he could wreck your world with his army which is Beast Wars.

LE0KING wrote:I agree with you on the designs. Especially onyx prime's. It's not a good design.

I will fight you.

ScottyP wrote:IDW's Onyx Prime is a totally rad flying dragon centaur beast that looks like he could wreck your world with his army which is Beast Wars.

LE0KING wrote:I agree with you on the designs. Especially onyx prime's. It's not a good design.

I will fight you.

I like the aligned versions, so I think they work here. That Micronus from the TAAO Revolution was exceptionally well done. and I like the Liege and Onxy.

Hopefully if we see other primes Amalgamous comes out better. Too bed Nexus was really underwhelming when he was seen