Transformers vs. The Terminator #1 Preview

I'm pretty stoked to see all this delicious Milne art, and those seekers look pretty dang good

If this comic is anywhere near as awesome as that cover and those seeker designs, than this series is going to be really good.

I love the Cybertron vibe the seekers have, can't wait to read this!

Can't be any worse than the My Little Pony crossover

Right there, is the Seeker Design I envisioned for the Cybertronian Coneheads. They look awesome

I'm always up for a cross over. Well, that MLP business can just go eat a bag of d...ried hay.

I'll wait for the trade paper back, though.

This is a special week in the world of Transformers comics because not only are we getting two books, but these two books are the last we'll be receiving for a while.

And one of them happens to be Transformers Vs Terminator, a book that intrigued quite a few. I know it intrigued me. The fact that the now legendary Transformers artist Alex Milne was attached to it, made it even more of a must check out. And now it's here and while I am still just as intrigued to see where it goes, the first issue didn't really do it for me.

My main issue here is that the first issue is very derivative, on purpose. It's basically just a retelling of the terminator lore, filled with the typical lines so that someone can say "oh, he said the thing!". It didn't make for the most engaging read.

I much prefer the first few pages which were already shown to all in the preview which show the future all out war of Transformers vs Terminators, featuring new Transformers designs by Alex Milne.



Speaking of the art, that opening is also where we see the most bots and thus where Alex Milne shines most. Now don't get me wrong, Alex Milne is as fine an artist as they come, but he has this amazing skill for depicting Transformers which really make him stand out compared to everyone else. However, when it comes to humans, there isn't as much in the style that makes him stand out.



Also, while he does aim for Sarah Connor to look like Linda Hamilton, I did not realize that the terminator was supposed to be of the Arnold variety. It could be Michael Beihn as much as it could be Arnold (which is actually what I thought they were going for at first, like some sort of switcheroo) or Duke from GI Joe. So that iconic Terminator aspect, which the script is clearly going for, is lost in the art too. When I read the panel you'll see below, I realized the author was hoping we'd been reading the Terminator's dialogue with Arnold's accent but the art never gave us indication of that so it took me out of it. It's like the nuts and bolts of the comic suddenly appeared and I saw a writer inserting some dialogue to make up for them not being able to get the rights to an actor's likeness.



Just a side note, I did find it interesting that the Terminator drives an Optimus Prime looking truck in this issue, smashing into cops, when the T-1000 drove a "nemesis prime" deco of a similar looking truck in Terminator 2, while dressed as a cop.





The final splash page is enough to have any fan want more, I just wish the first issue as a whole felt more meaty rather than just going through the motions to get to that final page. It was an average issue overall so I'll give it an average score.



This issue is out today, March 25th, and you can pick it up at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you, but you may want to call to get their operational status before making a trip.

I have to somewhat disagree with this review, considering how highly praised the past few crossovers have been rated (Star Trek, Ghostbusters, etc). Of course it's derivative, it has to set the frame of the universe. The past crossovers have established that a vague G1-ish story has happened to our Cybertronian faves, their lives put down in an already established universe. The Transformers have always been an additive to these seemingly canonical crossovers. So this time, there's nothing wrong with both universes having to establish themselves, considering once again the TF side of the crossover is once again reduced to the basic "G1 Ark 4 million years in the mountain" storyline. Terminator mostly does the same; a single T-800 sent back to 1984. With no specific set of canon to root itself in (AND considering Terminator is the Earth based franchise), this story has to establish the going-ons of Earth first. It's a fact; in all of these crossovers, the TF franchise is always the secondary. "how can we squeeze this in?" kind of thought.

So many crossover's have to spend time establishing the casts of each franchise getting to know each other (Oh but watch out they may disagree at first!), I'm so happy that this one casts those expectations aside to create an engaging story. It presumes familiarity with each franchise, and why shouldn't it? I don't think there's a single person on here who doesn't know the basic original backstory for either franchise.

All in all, if you like it or you don't, but I think this is a pleasing entry in the steady stream of crossovers coming out in the TF franchise. And like it or not, I think we ALL should push for this recent crossover trend to continue.

When you hear "Oh there's going to be a comic series where Transformers crosses over with Terminator" you're first instinct is to think of Transformers/New Avengers and go curl up in a corner and cry as the traumatic memories of that abomination come to the surface.

But then you take a deep breath and rebuild the walls that hold the bad memories at bay and you think to yourself "WHAT THE FUDGE? HOW THE FUDGE IS THAT GOING TO WORK?"

And it's a valid question, giant robots versus human sized robots ... come on, no contest!

If you're thinking that, like I was, give this book a go.

Transformers and The Terminator are old franchises, Transformers has had many a number of takes on the original G1 origin story, and The Terminator is a giant cluster-fudge of screwed up continuity ... and that's just the movies.

So how the hell do you make that work?

Well ... IDW and Dark Horse have done it. They've taken both franchises, and given the origins a tweak here and a twist there.

And that's the basis of this first book. Twisting and tweaking as both franchises come together.

It's not a blow your balls off story, it serves one purpose and that's to establish how they two franchises are together. It's like climbing onto a mechanical bull, you've climbed on, and the book ends just as the operator hits the start button.

I had my doubts, but I feel IDW/DH have done a great job with this issue of establishing how the two franchises have come together. I look forward to the next issue.

Burn wrote:It's not a blow your balls off story, it serves one purpose and that's to establish how they two franchises are together. It's like climbing onto a mechanical bull, you've climbed on, and the book ends just as the operator hits the start button.

That is a perfect analogy, 100% agree.

I sort of disagree with the review as well.

To me, this functioned very similar to the Ghosts of Cybertron crossover issue 1, different franchise, more dark than light-humored, but it still did the same, looked really good doing it, and set up an entirely inverted Terminator story: THEY are the resistance, and the Cons are the ultimate bad guy aggressors.

I really liked it for that, I would've given it at least a 3.5, maybe a 4, much like how Ghosts of Cybertron got a 4 in its review.

PS: I really want a seeker 3 pack using those designs as the SDCC exclusive this year

Nice review Will! Very agreed with the assessment about it being an average comic, can't think of a better term. Fun, quick read and then it's over. Not bad, but nothing mind blowing either.

Love Milne's Seeker design here. Has some Hearts of Steel vibes maybe?

ScottyP wrote:NLove Milne's Seeker design here. Has some Hearts of Steel vibes maybe?

I was thinking more Cybertron-esque, but that was just based on the shoulders and lower legs more than anything

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

ScottyP wrote:NLove Milne's Seeker design here. Has some Hearts of Steel vibes maybe?

I was thinking more Cybertron-esque, but that was just based on the shoulders and lower legs more than anything

That was brought up on our facebook page. Apparently it's partly based on the Cyberyron design but I think it's just a vew aspects used as inspiration rather than an interpretation of that design.

Thanks to Apple Book preview, we have a look at the upcoming Transformers vs. The Terminator #3 comic book from IDW! #3 picks up following issue #2, with the conscious Autobots working on the damaged and fallen Autobots following the Ark shootout from issue 2. We get a little different crew than we are used to though. Prime, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, and Ratchet are the usual suspects for a G1 Ark story, but we get 2 outliers in the forms of Arcee, complete with a 1980's alternate mode, and IDW2005 original character Velocity also complete with a 1980's alt mode, which is her first ever Earth alt mode.

In addition to the preview, we get some design art for Arcee and Velocity, courtesy of Alex Milne on his Twitter page. Both designs are marvelous, giving us a great looking pair of ladies for the comic to run with. We also get the alt mode their robot modes were based on in Milne's description, which includes a 1983 Ford Mustang for Arcee and a 1977 Firebird for Velocity.

Check it out below and let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Those designs are frikkin delicious, I want both!

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:Those designs are frikkin delicious, I want both!

I concur.

Arcee looks like she could be a Skids Retool. Burnout would then also be made using Skids' car but Arcee's body.

Velocity looks like she could be a reshell and retool of Tracks to get that upper body to work. Working kinda like AoE and TLK Drift with them being reshelled in such a way that it inverted what parts of the vehicle the robot parts came from. Then Roadrage could also be done.

Oddly enough, Tracks and Skids are due for new toys as they were both skipped during CW/PotP and in WFC so far with Tracks being long overdue for a new figure.

All wishful thinking though.

Oh man these designs are great! How about that kinda Arcee figure for Earthrise? A first Velocity toy would be great too.

So glad Milne is doing the linework for this series, I hope he never stops doing Transformers.

arcee looks like an 84-86 Mustang GT

Ultra Markus wrote:arcee looks like an 84-86 Mustang GT

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She was called out as a 1983 Ford Mustang, so not too far off

My only complaint? Arcee is a touch too big. Nothing wrong with bulkier female characters, mind - I absolutely loved the likes of Strika (Beast Machines) and Strongarm (RiD II) - simply I'm struggling to recognize the iconic character in this design.

Both of these designs look great! My only nitpick is that I wish Velocity still had her massive head crest-thing that her original design had, it was really unique.

This is amazing, we need more muscle car fembots. A foxbody totally fits arcee, ever so slightly diminutive but filled with power. And as a trans am fan velocity looks great too!

Can we please get these as toys Hasbro? You totally could remould arcee into a taurus for a robocop crossover and velocity as a smokey and the bandit crossover. Nobody will mind at all!

I’m enjoying the comic but the Terminator seems to be having FAR too easy a time of it.

well that ended shyte.

seems transformes can be just shot now by a bog standard pistol. in a way this series is like a microcosm of whats wrong with IDW.

they HAVE the franchises to do something awesome. they have the talent in the form of milne.

they just choose not to do so.

the only redeeming aspect of this is milnes astounding designs and artwork. some truly lovely stuff.

Last week marked the final installment of the Transformers vs Terminator comic and I have to say, this issue felt more bombastic than any Michael Bay movie. That's because this is done in fifteen minutes and it's just non stop action. You've got another classic Optimus vs Megatron Battle, you have Megatron vs Starscream, and the Terminator killing left right and centre with a bombastic finish. Plus you have quite a bit of Ravage thrown in, which is always nice to see from Alex Milne.



However, throughout the cacophony there is also some plot and I will be honest, I didn't get it. The writing was not the strong suit of this series, far from it. Since this is a Terminator story, there is a time travel semi paradox story to tell, kinda, and that part totally escaped me. Meaning that the end made absolutely no sense to me. And aside from a tease to what may come later, a good part of this comic really goes out of its way to say that this part is done with an ending that almost reminds me of Beast Machine's ending with a new tomorrow being born from the wreckage. Except if you don't really get how we got to the this ending, then you're just left bewildered.



Also, Optimus rapidly gets over the death of his fallen comrades, who he has spent eons battling with. It felt really insincere, like the writer had to address it and just dedicated a quick line of dialogue. I don't know what it is with Transformers comics in general, they are very tedious for a long bit and then wrap everything up in a larger than life sort of way that never leaves me satisfied, with writing that jumps around all over the place, never making the comic feel cohesive. It reminded me a lot of the opening arc of the Optimus Prime, or All Hail Megatron or even Stormbringer in structure. I know that last one has it's fans and so may this Terminator crossover but I am not one of them.

Back to the art, it's always a treat to see Alex Milne draw Transformers. He draws as many transformations as he could, almost like he is making up for the times he didn't on the Roberts run to the point where it feels unnecessary. For instance you'll have Bumblebee in robot mode in one panel and then soon after you see him transform from car to robot in the next. I do really wish the shadows were left to the colorist, however, rather than adding a grid pattern, it muddies the art.




In the end, this was a well drawn short series that shows that the franchises can work together, I just wish it was better written overall. If you ae going to write a yarn dealing with time travel, you have to make it simple and clear and I didn't get this here. In the end, my score for this issue is the same as the first issue and the series overall.




You can pick up this issue at the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to find the closest shop to you.

It was entertaining enough but yeah. Came out f it unsatisfied. The ending was a total rush job. Art was gorgeous but it's Milne, so that's kinda to be expected. Just a shame that there were so many stupid parts of the story.

~ Grim

Incredibly disappointing with the ending.

DC's Hill House imprint series was notorious for rushed endings, and you'd swear the writers took cues from those books on how to wrap up a series.

Sure, they leave it open for a sequel series, but that's still no excuse to how it ended.

If only this series had gotten one more issue like the Star Trek crossover had, I feel like a lot of the Terminator-y time travel bits could be fleshed out a little more.

That aside, I really loved this series, it’s definitely my favorite of the crossovers so far. The action, the art, the high stakes 80’s action movie vibes, it had it all.

It really annoyed me that "seasoned warrior" Arcee, after threatening the Terminator, didn't then notice him placing mines around the Ark and seeding the area while stood with him and indeed, him chucking them out of her window as they were driving about. And where did he store them?!? Made zero bloody sense.

~ Grim

Took me way too long to get around to reading this review, but I have to say this is spot on:

I don't know what it is with Transformers comics in general, they are very tedious for a long bit and then wrap everything up in a larger than life sort of way that never leaves me satisfied, with writing that jumps around all over the place, never making the comic feel cohesive. It reminded me a lot of the opening arc of the Optimus Prime, or All Hail Megatron or even Stormbringer in structure.

I think the issue is writing to three-act structure, or something close to it, which leaves almost no time for things to wrap up after the climax. Alternately, the writers don't care about the ending as much as they cared about the way there, which is fine for a crossover book but also one of the reasons they have a tough time being more than diversionary exercises in brand awareness. I think the structure of the My Little Pony crossover might be my preferred thing for this kind of book - humorous short vignettes that don't get too worried about convoluted overarching plots which could never get enough space to be resolved in a satisfying way.