James Roberts Teases Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye Season 2

"Whirl'd Shut Your Mouth!"

I can't wait to get back home and get all caught up.

And if the teases were not enough, we have a full preview of IDW Publishing's Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #28 thanks to comics and entertainment news site Newsarama! Check it out below, including the Alex Milne subscription variant cover spotlighting the new cast/crew of the Lost Light.

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #28: Dawn of the Autobots—SPOTLIGHT
James Roberts (w) • Alex Milne (a) • Casey W. Coller(c)
CERTAIN DEATH, HERE WE COME! MEGATRON assumes control of the quest to find the Knights of Cybertron—a quest that has never before been so urgent, so personal, and so likely to end in tears. An incredulous Lost Light crew is left asking the same thing you are: how exactly did it come to this?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
- MEGATRON LEADS THE AUTOBOTS IN SPACE!?!
- You read that right—MEGATRON joins the AUTOBOTS!
- The perfect jumping-on point for new readers!
- Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the TRANSFORMERS!
- Variant interlocking cover by Livio Ramondelli!

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #28: Dawn of the Autobots—Subscription Variant
James Roberts (w) • Alex Milne (a & c)
For subscription customers only, a special variant cover with art by Alex Milne!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Looks good so far! I like that Nautica's personality will be explored more away from Chromia and Windblade. Should be interesting to see..

What is this crap?

There are no real factions anymore. After millions of years of war everybody just decides to sit down and have a drink?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Stick a cyberforcep in it... this franchise is done.

Oh no, change.

The horror.

84forever wrote:What is this crap?

There are no real factions anymore. After millions of years of war everybody just decides to sit down and have a drink?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Stick a cyberforcep in it... this franchise is done.

Wat?

A lot of people actually like the fact its not war war war war and it ends with all the bad guys dying.


how the hell is the franchise going to be done.

84forever wrote:What is this crap?

There are no real factions anymore. After millions of years of war everybody just decides to sit down and have a drink?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Stick a cyberforcep in it... this franchise is done.

And nobody is having a drink in that

stop being a sour puss.

Ummm... the war's been over for two freaking years now. Seems to be doing quite fine to me! Honestly, we've gotten the best TF stories ever since they ended the war

mirageandjazz1197 wrote:

84forever wrote:What is this crap?

There are no real factions anymore. After millions of years of war everybody just decides to sit down and have a drink?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Stick a cyberforcep in it... this franchise is done.

And nobody is having a drink in that

stop being a sour puss.

WRONG! Optimus has a drink in hand and there's one behind Starscream.

EDIT: And there are drinks beside Rung.

It is a bit odd to see Megatron with the Autobots, but it is nice to see such a different course for the story to take. Also, it would be quite cool to see a new main villain to replace Megatron as well as finally having both leaders truly fighting on the same side. They've got to keep the story going. And I like where this could be headed.

ILL-Star wrote:It is a bit odd to see Megatron with the Autobots, but it is nice to see such a different course for the story to take. Also, it would be quite cool to see a new main villain to replace Megatron as well as finally having both leaders truly fighting on the same side. They've got to keep the story going. And I like where this could be headed.

It is very odd seeing Megatron with an Autobot symbol, but I find the story refreshing and definitely not something we have seen before. So I will give them a chance and ride the wave where ever it will eventually lead us.

I'm really exited for this. I haven't been able to get to my comic shop yet though and sub to the series. I was wondering if I can do it tomorrow still and if I could ask them for the subscription covers ?

I think this is one of the more refreshing stories out there. As someone already said - some of the best stories have come after the war ended. Gives a great opportunity to learn more about Cybertron and the characters. The war will eventually pick up again.

I love the idea of Megatron running the Autobot show and title is perfect.

Black Bumblebee wrote:Ummm... the war's been over for two freaking years now. Seems to be doing quite fine to me! Honestly, we've gotten the best TF stories ever since they ended the war

Agreed!
I'm a Geewunner, been with the franchise since 1984, still have my original first 7 issues of the Marvel run and anyone on here will agree that I could give Kup and Ironhide both lessons in being cranky and cantankerous but I'm all on board for this change of pace. 30 years of rehashing the same thing over and OVER? Yeah, sure, lets keep beating a dead turbo-fox... NOT!
I'm excited to see where this new arc takes us. Besides, isn't everyone whining because the Bay movies don't give the robot characters any development time? Well, here we go in comic form. All the time in the world for development without human interaction and without conflict in the immediate foreseeable future. (although we know it's coming somewhere down the line. It's inevitable.)
Personally, I think this should be a real blast.

ILL-Star wrote:[...] it would be quite cool to see a new main villain to replace Megatron as well as finally having both leaders truly fighting on the same side. They've got to keep the story going. And I like where this could be headed.

By the looks of things, Galvatron may end up being that leader you wish for, given how Dark Cybertron ended.

Confirmed Crew Members:

Megatron
Swerve
Ting Ancient Dude (Tailgate)
Brainstorm
Nightbeat
Nautica
Trailbreaker/Trailcutter
Getaway
Skids
Rung
Mirage
Hosehead
Groove
Sky High

84forever wrote:What is this crap?

There are no real factions anymore. After millions of years of war everybody just decides to sit down and have a drink?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Stick a cyberforcep in it... this franchise is done.

lol. troll.


seriously though. So glad they are going away from ENDLESS WAR. Picking up the pieces is so much more interesting. Honestly, after 30 years of 2 factions, I kind of want to see transformers just being transformers. They don't have to fight all the time.

Who's the bot between Hosehead and Groove? He reminds me of Countdown.

Currently re reading the early MTMTE books. Can't remember what happened to Red Alert but I'm curious as to how he'd react to Megatron being on board the Lost Light.

I'm dying to see some interaction between Megatron and my favourite Funny-bot, Swerve.

Glad the crossover is finished and we're back to normal MTMTE.

Anyone else see a resemblance between Nautica and Botcon Elita One?

Who's the bot between Hosehead and Groove? He reminds me of Countdown.

Currently re reading the early MTMTE books. Can't remember what happened to Red Alert but I'm curious as to how he'd react to Megatron being on board the Lost Light.

I'm dying to see some interaction between Megatron and my favourite Funny-bot, Swerve.

Glad the crossover is finished and we're back to normal MTMTE.

Anyone else see a resemblance between Nautica and Botcon Elita One?

Looking forward to season 2. It will be the first Transformers comic I have picked up since the 80s series. I will get caught up in the trades though.

I believe that's Metroplex transformed in city mode

Captain wrote:I believe that's Metroplex transformed in city mode

It is indeed.

84forever wrote:What is this crap?

There are no real factions anymore. After millions of years of war everybody just decides to sit down and have a drink?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Stick a cyberforcep in it... this franchise is done.

You do realize there is still ton of fighting? No war doesn't mean no conflicts. Plus...if you read anything of it aside from a small preview, you'd know there are still real factions. They have just moved on from this idea that the Autobots and Decepticons have to always be in a galaxy spanning war. Doesn't mean they don't fight. Just means it's not a complete war. Just like how the world isn't at war right now doesn't mean people still aren't fighting amongst people.

Black Bumblebee wrote:Ummm... the war's been over for two freaking years now. Seems to be doing quite fine to me! Honestly, we've gotten the best TF stories ever since they ended the war

The best comic story and sales wise we ever had was the Dreamwave ongoing and that was TEN years ago! This is a classic example of people being deprived of good material for soooo long that they think that the new inferior product is the best thing ever. MTMTE is weak. Roberts is incapable of writing war stories... the fighting is tantamount to a club brawl scene on "Jersey Shore"!

G1 was, and still is the best and there are many stories to tell. There is still a lot of Energon left in G1! With the exception of Shane McCarthy, the all-hack team at IDW lacks the talent to tell these stories.

84forever wrote:The best comic story and sales wise we ever had was the Dreamwave ongoing and that was TEN years ago!

Is that fact? I'd like to see your data, because it's always been something of interest to me.

84forever wrote:This is a classic example of people being deprived of good material for soooo long that they think that the new inferior product is the best thing ever

Well, considering what came before was Mike Costa's ongoing, this IS loads better.

84forever wrote:MTMTE is weak. Roberts is incapable of writing war stories... the fighting is tantamount to a club brawl scene on "Jersey Shore"!

Why are you watching Jersey Shore?

84forever wrote:G1 was, and still is the best and there are many stories to tell. There is still a lot of Energon left in G1! With the exception of Shane McCarthy, the all-hack team at IDW lacks the talent to tell these stories.

I completely respect your opinion; you like G1 the best. But you present your opinion as fact, and insult EVERY SINGLE FACET of this IDW universe. If you don't like it, fine. I happen to really NOT like Shane McCarthy. And whileWar Within is still my favorite comic, the rest of the Dreamwave stories were, I think, weak. Everything was so shallow. The ongoing might have gotten somewhere, but we'll never because Pat Lee had to royally screw everything up.

WOOH! Nautica and Brainstorm! Rung and Megatron! IT'S NOT THE TABLE'S FAULT. Season 2 is going to be amazing!

Oh, and ignore 84forever. He hates everything past seasons 1 and 2 of the Sunbow cartoon. He's been perma-banned off TFW2005 for all his hate. So just ignore him.

Nemesis Maximo wrote:

84forever wrote:The best comic story and sales wise we ever had was the Dreamwave ongoing and that was TEN years ago!

Is that fact? I'd like to see your data, because it's always been something of interest to me.

Sorry. Long time lurker and it turns out I had an account here.

I suck at getting ACTUAL sales numbers but I DO know that comic sales across the board have... pretty much tanked. I would bet money that Dreamwave's Transformers comics probably had better sales than IDW's.

Now, is that something that determines quality? No. It just means that something sold more copies. Mostly because comic readership in general was a lot healthier a decade ago and even more healthy a decade before that.

But it's also because people like me would buy EVERY SINGLE COVER VARIANT THAT DREAMWAVE RELEASED. And, yes, I'm embarrassed by that.


For my money, the current Transformers comics are better than they've ever been. More Than Meets the Eye in particular is one of my favorite monthly reads. I've even gotten my wife to read it and she's a tough sell for comics. Well, comics I like, at least.

So, yeah, this looks awesome and I'm in for the long haul.

I can't wait for this issue! I love how IDW takes the way transformers always was and flips it completely! Megatron becoming an autobot AND commanding the lost light? Come on thats pretty awesome to me... the panels with him and swerve are going to be hilarious!

I hope we'll see red alert and drift soon too! Since In the DC finale, Nightbeat asked Rodimus where he got the ship from because he looked like he had a sense of what the lost light's history. Drift gave the lost light to Rodimus so there is going to be a cool significant connection involved.

Nemesis Maximo wrote:

84forever wrote:The best comic story and sales wise we ever had was the Dreamwave ongoing and that was TEN years ago!

Is that fact? I'd like to see your data, because it's always been something of interest to me.

To be honest it's just a similar matter to the movies.

Just because it brings in a crowd, doesn't mean it's a work of genius.

Also I would like to point out that this is certainly not the first time Megatron has changed his ways in a transformers series... he just usually dies immediately afterwards.

I think the DW stuff did sell really well. We'd suffered little to no G1 type stuff for a long time and I'd suggest that sales were good enough at least to make Hasbro take note and realise there was a market for nostalgia. I have a real soft spot for the way it looked like Dreamwave were building up to a TFTM/Unicron remake, but there's no way I'd suggest those books came anywhere near the current output in terms of quality.

I've read the IDW stuff since the start. The initial "-ation" series were an okay "Ultimate Transformers" sort of reboot. A few updates here and there and a more decompressed story (we got what, 3 miniseries to get us to a similar point as the first 2 issues of the original Marvel run?) but nothing really all that different from the normal TF stories we've seen in countless other adaptations of the basic story.

The Spotlight's quality varied fairly drastically, but there were some gems, and it was nice to see some of them focus on completely different stories and characters than the main books, expanding the universe and laying down groundwork for other things. The transition to and handling of All Hail Megatron was a misstep and for a while it seemed like IDW had gone off the rails with TFs.

Last Stand Of The Wreckers brought my interest back in a huge way. The newer ongoing still wasn't where I wanted things to be, but it had potential. Some great art, even if it was still taking too long to get anywhere interesting. LSOTW didn't mess about though and introduced so many new or revamped concepts and characters and did so in such a great way. It was mature, in that it sometimes was happy to not be "mature" and grown up. It treated the readers well, and I think gives a little bit of something for everyone.

As the ongoing neared its end we got some more of that Wreckers vibe with the Prime/Megatron backstory and although the whole thing with the D-Void or whatever it was wasn't the best, it put the past to rest and set up the new status quo. I've felt RID has been less consistently good (and a little more "by the numbers") than MTMTE but it's definitely had its share of good moments and neither book has been afraid to veer off into what seemed like unthinkable directions. Prowlastator, anyone?

Aptly put, Craggy. As for RID's comsistency, for me it only really became lackluster after Megs was incapacitated: up to that point, it had been a decent political/conspiracy thriller, what with Prowl's heavy involvement.

It took me a little longer than most to really get into MTMTE and appreciate Robert's writing. Even still, there are things I don't necassarilly like, but overall it's gotten better. The strength for MTMTE is the characters, not the stroy, and vise versa for RID I think.

Nemesis Maximo wrote: The strength for MTMTE is the characters, not the stroy, and vise versa for RID I think.

I can't really disagree with that, but I'd say that I like the stories in MTMTE have been more to my liking as well. RID has been pretty much one long arc, whereas we've had a lot of little distractions along the way on the Lost Light (and with the Scavengers and DJD)but then the crazy cast of characters has helped break down the issues more, and keep the pace up, making it feel like a lot more has happened.

WHY are people so worried about sales numbers? It doesn't matter if DW sold more than IDW because I didn't read the DW ongoing until 2012. I don't care if they only sold 3 copies, I thought it was good! Up until that point I thought MTMTE was the best TF comics I had ever read even though it was filled with Transformers that sucked. MTMTE is a good story starring Transformers... DW IS Transformers. Classic Transformers. Roberts stuff is more like those fan-ficky little comic strips that are floating around the Internet... only with the giant penises replaced with curdled Energon.

Basically what I'm really trying to say is that all of you readers know that Megatron wearing an Autobot symbol is just plain wrong! Roberts can kiss my G1 Prime's narrow butt for squelching out this sacrilegious FAN FIC!

P.S. I did not start the "fire James Roberts" Facebook page.

First, I'm not worried about sales numbers, I was just curious about a point that you brought up, 84. It was a legitimate question.

Second, most of us readers think Megatron with an Autobot badge is interesting. So far, you seem to be the only one on this forum unwilling to give the story a chance, and you've made that abundantly clear. And that's totally fine! But please don't assume we all think the way you do.

Thirdly, if you consider this akin to fan-fiction, consider this: all post- Marvel G1 could be called "Fan Fiction". How many of these writers say that they are not "Fans" of Transformers? The only difference is that they get payed to do it, and of course the lack of giant metal penises. Good call on that one.

the Dreamwave stuff rehashed a lot, and used the same characters we always see, doing the same kind of stuff. Honestly, that felt a lot more like fan-fic to me, in terms of it not really bringing anything new to the table.

now, 84, if you can avoid overreacting and maybe absorb what people are saying I'm not saying there's anything bad about that necessarily. As I said above, at the time there'd not been any G1 styled fiction for a while, bar some references in Beast Wars. It was also really cool that we got the War Within series from Dreamwave, as the pre-Earth modes and early days of the war were often talked about. Heck there were already quite a few pre-Earth stories in existence in the original G1 run, but we'd not gotten a good look at a lot of the main characters, whereas DW managed to give us redesigns for most of the cartoon cast and beyond.

But it was all retreading previous ideas and scenarios in a slightly altered way. Arguably Sunstorm was something different, but the concept of a super-powered loose cannon with a mysterious purpose isn't new or special in Transformers in particular or comics in general. Most of the characters who showed up in DW books did tend to look and act fairly "on-model" but there was little depth to them.

With MTMTE Roberts is introducing new ideas all the time, or elaborating on older ones in ways not considered before (the MMM being a reason that some TFs might not have or at least might not use alt-modes, for example) and whilst many of the physical conflicts seen in the book might not be dissimilar from those in other stories (there's only so many ways to set up two groups fighting) the character development and interactions make it stand head and shoulders above most other comics. Most other ensemble-cast fiction, even.

edit: want to know why I even mentioned sales?

84forever wrote:The best comic story and sales wise we ever had was the Dreamwave ongoing and that was TEN years ago!

You brought up the sales figures. I don't know them, as I said, but they clearly can't have been terrible or Hasbro wouldn't have kept licensing the franchise to comic companies.

You are right about the sales figures Craggy, I did bring it up... but it was just to throw it in IDW fans faces. It's not a good indicator of a well written story. Roberts and the IDW crew have changed Transformers so much that the majority of them are out of character. Most of them tend to sound the same also.

T-Macksimus wrote:

Black Bumblebee wrote:Ummm... the war's been over for two freaking years now. Seems to be doing quite fine to me! Honestly, we've gotten the best TF stories ever since they ended the war

Agreed!
I'm a Geewunner, been with the franchise since 1984, still have my original first 7 issues of the Marvel run and anyone on here will agree that I could give Kup and Ironhide both lessons in being cranky and cantankerous but I'm all on board for this change of pace. 30 years of rehashing the same thing over and OVER? Yeah, sure, lets keep beating a dead turbo-fox... NOT!
I'm excited to see where this new arc takes us. Besides, isn't everyone whining because the Bay movies don't give the robot characters any development time? Well, here we go in comic form. All the time in the world for development without human interaction and without conflict in the immediate foreseeable future. (although we know it's coming somewhere down the line. It's inevitable.)
Personally, I think this should be a real blast.

I also must raise my wrinkly old hand clenching my old lady cane, we're seeing some great stuff now. I have the majority MTMTE in digital form because I didn't have the patience to wait for the TPB's and I was never dissapointed with the content.

I'm looking forward to this stuff, I hate the movies because I feel they rip us off in the plot department, yet its the comics that are giving us the plot and character developement I've always wanted.

Anyone can write a bunch of comics about fighting and war, takes some real smarts and humour to write in a post war era, especially a war that lasted millions of yeaars.

I'm one happy Geewunner!

84forever wrote:You are right about the sales figures Craggy, I did bring it up... but it was just to throw it in IDW fans faces. It's not a good indicator of a well written story. Roberts and the IDW crew have changed Transformers so much that the majority of them are out of character. Most of them tend to sound the same also.

well, I think the current IDW books are much better in virtually every way than the Dreamwave ones and you're a narrow minded fool if you can't discuss this without coming across like a total arse...but that's just to throw it in your face.

Personally. I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of Megatron switching sides. On one hand, I'm sure that James Roberts will make the coming issues very funny, but on the other... flip flopping is not character development, it's just messing with the setting, and I'd prefer if comics writers didn't do that. Transformers is supposed to be about the ongoing war between the Heroic Autobots and the Evil Decepticons. Alter that base concept and it's not really Transformers any more.

1984forever wrote:WHY are people so worried about sales numbers? It doesn't matter if DW sold more than IDW because I didn't read the DW ongoing until 2012. I don't care if they only sold 3 copies, I thought it was good! Up until that point I thought MTMTE was the best TF comics I had ever read even though it was filled with Transformers that sucked. MTMTE is a good story starring Transformers... DW IS Transformers. Classic Transformers. Roberts stuff is more like those fan-ficky little comic strips that are floating around the Internet... only with the giant penises replaced with curdled Energon.

Basically what I'm really trying to say is that all of you readers know that Megatron wearing an Autobot symbol is just plain wrong! Roberts can kiss my G1 Prime's narrow butt for squelching out this sacrilegious FAN FIC!

P.S. I did not start the "fire James Roberts" Facebook page.

Your Dream wave is bad and you should feel bad.


i have only read one idw comic (since i can't find them) and i read all of dream wave

and IDW is tons better.

and by the way Dream Wave is not transformers The G1 cartoon, comics and toys are Transformers you idiot.

1984forever wrote:What is this crap?

There are no real factions anymore. After millions of years of war everybody just decides to sit down and have a drink?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Stick a cyberforcep in it... this franchise is done.

And yet, you are still here. Why are you still reading it if it's so horrible? You are actually paying for comics you don't like?

A little late to the party there, Dan-o.

Nemesis Maximo wrote:A little late to the party there, Dan-o.

Yeah, I thought it was still relevant. By saying 'still here' I didn't mean here 'right this moment'. I meant 'still coming on these boards and reading IDW Transformer comics'. Which I thought was strange being as he seems to rather hate them.

So, the "season" is concluded now, right? What did you all think? Considering I spent the last month binging out on IDW to get caught up from AHM...... I quite enjoyed it.

Is that true? What's your source / ref?

Wow, didn't realise we were done with Season 2 of 4 already.

Quint wrote:Is that true? What's your source / ref?

Wow, didn't realise we were done with Season 2 of 4 already.

I've only recently, in the last few months or so, been reading MTMTE and RID, and have now caught up. I wasn't aware that there were 4 seasons. Is that what Roberts has been commissioned for?

I take it everything up to MTMTE #22 "Little Victories" was Season 1, as #23-27 is part of Dark Cybertron. If that's the case then I doubt Season 2 has ended as there's only been 11 issues. Surely, we must be at the halfway point?

Roberts said in an interview about 1-2 months ago that he's aiming for a 4 season arc, that could be expanded or curtailed as IDW demanded.

However his original outline was for those 4, which in essence encompass the so-called 'quest'.