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[Weltall Zero]

As requested by Tizoc.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/dec/02/transformers-lost-light-comic-same-sex-partnerships

To those of us who have been following this amazing comic, it's great to see it get some recognition. To those of you who don't, and are used to the teen-oriented Michael Bay movies and kid-friendly cartoons, it might surprise you to learn of an adult-oriented Transformers comic that tackles such unlikely issues in a toy-driven franchise as same-gender relationships and marriage, apartheid, post-war mental health, and much more, while managing to be side-splittingly funny and amazingly endearing.

Choice paragraphs:

But, in another wing of the franchise, the shape-changing robots have been venturing into much less likely territory, exploring such weighty issues as social mobility, personal identity and various corrosive ideologies – while also establishing the world of Transformers as a homonormative society. Fans of Chromedome and Rewind may be touched to learn that the two are now in a romantic relationship.

As a fan of the clunky robots since childhood, Roberts has always had a sense of entitlement when it comes to messing with their core concept – specifically, the act of transformation. “In More Than Meets the Eye, I explored the idea that, millions of years ago, the Transformers existed in a system with a ‘functionist’ doctrine – meaning the thing you turn into determines your status. The more commonplace a device you became, the fewer privileges you had.

In a move that would doubtless intrigue Bay, Roberts brought in the concept of “municipal eugenics”: a type of Transformer could literally be made redundant, because there’s no longer a use for its newly shifted shape. “Maybe,” says Roberts, “there’s an analogy here in terms of how disabled people are treated in some quarters by governments. If they’re not producing, they’re not making the necessary contributions to society, and so they’re devalued.””

“Originally, Megatron was an incredible thinker who advocated non-violent resistance. He was in the Tony Benn mould, an international socialist. He campaigned for emancipation and equality, but eventually concluded the system had been engineered to withstand any form of dissent – other than force.

“As is the case with grand tragedies, he travelled away from the goals he had in the beginning and walked that well-trodden path from communism to totalitarianism.”

Much more at the link. Also, if all of this intrigues you (as it should), by all means check Tizoc's comprehensive OT on the comic here.

 

[Monocle]

Wittier writing than Gaiman or Moore?

OK sorry, I'll check this out.

 

[Weltall Zero]

Wittier writing than Gaiman or Moore?

OK sorry, I'll check this out.

Well, I happen to like them. But I'll remove the line because it's bound to piss off both fans and detractors.

To be fair it's more often compared to Mike Mignola (which I also love) and I agree its brand of humour is much more similar.

 

[Tizoc]

Wittier writing than Gaiman or Moore?

OK sorry, I'll check this out.

Here's a write up I made for the series but if you want to get in quick, grab Last Stand of the Wreckers then go onto More than Meets the Eye Vol. 1 and onwards
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1294055

Thanks for making the thread wetall :3

 

[Slayven]

So we going to forget about Arcee?

 

[Monocle]

Well, I happen to like them. But I'll remove the line because it's bound to piss off both fans and detractors.

To be fair it's more often compared to Mike Mignola (which I also love) and I agree its brand of humour is much more similar.

Haha, yeah. Good thread in any case. Might have missed this book otherwise.

Here's a write up I made for the series but if you want to get in quick, grab Last Stand of the Wreckers then go onto More than Meets the Eye Vol. 1 and onwards
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1294055

Thanks for making the thread wetall :3

I think I will. Looks great, thanks.

 

[MattKeil]

Wittier writing than Gaiman or Moore?

OK sorry, I'll check this out.

As someone who considers Sandman and Watchmen the #1 and #2 greatest comics ever written, James Roberts is absolutely on their level. No question about it in my mind whatsoever.

So we going to forget about Arcee?

They dealt with her and turned the character around nicely, and introduced other female Transformers with the simple "They evolved that way on another planet after they left Cybertron" explanation, so all that "psychotic forcibly gender re-assigned Arcee" stuff is mostly considered yet another dumb thing from Furman's run on the IDW books that is no longer relevant.

 

[Firemind]

“Originally, Megatron was an incredible thinker who advocated non-violent resistance. He was in the Tony Benn mould, an international socialist. He campaigned for emancipation and equality, but eventually concluded the system had been engineered to withstand any form of dissent – other than force.

“As is the case with grand tragedies, he travelled away from the goals he had in the beginning and walked that well-trodden path from communism to totalitarianism.”

 

[Slayven]

As someone who considers Sandman and Watchmen the #1 and #2 greatest comics ever written, James Roberts is absolutely on their level. No question about it in my mind whatsoever.



They dealt with her and turned the character around nicely, and introduced other female Transformers with the simple "They evolved that way on another planet after they left Cybertron" explanation, so all that "psychotic forcibly gender re-assigned Arcee" stuff is mostly considered yet another dumb thing from Furman's run on the IDW books that is no longer relevant.

Are the Autobots still more scared of her than Decepticons?

 

[Weltall Zero]

So we going to forget about Arcee?

Arcee is a pivotal character in the universe, but she's more prominently featured in Robots in DIsguise. She's basically Elektra; absurdly deadly ninja, allegiances unstable, slightly crazy.

More than Meets the Eye and its companion series introduce a lot more female Transformers once

Spoiler

the lost TF colonies are rediscovered

. In MTMTE, this includes two of my favorites, Nautica and Velocity.

(first image is Nautica's first appearance and Chromia, another female Transformer more associated with the Windblade comics, but the image is so characteristically Nautica I couldn't omit it).

 

[Slayven]

Do they put out Profile books like the old days?

 

[MattKeil]

Are the Autobots still more scared of her than Decepticons?

No, that hasn't been the case for years now. She was Prowl's personal assassin early on in Robots in Disguise (the parallel series to More Than Meets the Eye), but that didn't last long, and by the time of the first big story event that brought the two books together, she was one of the Autobots. Granted, the Dinobots accepted her a bit faster than the rest, because of the whole no-holds-barred warrior comrades thing, but the Arcee in the MTMTE/RiD books is not at all the one-dimensional disaster that Furman's Arcee was.

Do they put out Profile books like the old days?

Unfortunately no, although the hardcover of Last Stand of the Wreckers included some.

 

[Tizoc]

Gives me an excuse to post this

 

[Firemind]

I always hate it when they retcon Megs' origin.

 

[sphagnum]

I wish the show and movie writers would put as much thought into things as Roberts does.

 

[Loxley]

“Originally, Megatron was an incredible thinker who advocated non-violent resistance. He was in the Tony Benn mould, an international socialist. He campaigned for emancipation and equality, but eventually concluded the system had been engineered to withstand any form of dissent – other than force.

“As is the case with grand tragedies, he travelled away from the goals he had in the beginning and walked that well-trodden path from communism to totalitarianism.”

Man I am way out of the loop with Transformers.

 

[SiegfriedFM]

Gives me an excuse to post this

I'm assuming that is Megs, but I haven't gotten to that point yet. Either way, IDW's version of him is the first time Megatron has been believably written. No cackling maniac, just a warrior forged in four million years of hate. His conversation with Optimus in the late pre-RiD stories is one of the best pieces of Transformers ever written.

I'm also digging the peacetime stories. It's much more interesting than figuring out a reason why these guys keep blasting each other to pieces and still not permanently killing anyone (except total bit characters who are definitely not getting a toy anytime soon).

 

[Weltall Zero]

As someone who considers Sandman and Watchmen the #1 and #2 greatest comics ever written, James Roberts is absolutely on their level. No question about it in my mind whatsoever.

Amazing taste (or said another way, amazingly similar to mine). MTMTE and Watchmen are my favorite comics of all time, and choosing between them would be painful. Sandman is within my top five as well. I really have to reread Watchmen and Sandman, it's been well over a decade since the last time!

But yeah, Watchmen is simply incredible. Let me recommend it as well to anyone who may not have read it.

I always hate it when they retcon Megs' origin.

That's because it's always been done poorly, until now. Not like the original cartoon or comics had much continuity to "ret" anyway, he just... was.

I wish the show and movie writers would put as much thought into things as Roberts does.

I wish they would put any thought. But yeah, not happening.

I'm assuming that is Megs, but I haven't gotten to that point yet. Either way, IDW's version of him is the first time Megatron has been believably written. No cackling maniac, just a warrior forged in four million years of hate. His conversation with Optimus in the late pre-RiD stories is one of the best pieces of Transformers ever written.

Oh boy are you in for a treat.

I'm also digging the peacetime stories. It's much more interesting than figuring out a reason why these guys keep blasting each other to pieces and still not permanently killing anyone (except total bit characters who are definitely not getting a toy anytime soon).

Absolutely. Peacetime is the best thing to happen to the franchise, ever. The breadth of stories that can be told when characters aren't supposed to spend 100% of their time trying to kill each other is amazing, and perhaps obvious in hindsight.

 

[NEO0MJ]

I always hate it when they retcon Megs' origin.

To be fair not even the original cartoon was sure what his origin was

Anyways his current one is pretty good.

 

[Weltall Zero]

Shamelessly posting one of my favorite quotes of the comic:

Feel free to post your own darlings, people.

 

[olympia]

I always hate it when they retcon Megs' origin.

They really did it in such a great way in this. It's really what the character needed, IMO

 

[Firemind]

At least tell me he doesn't transform into a tank.

 

[sphagnum]

I always hate it when they retcon Megs' origin.

Megatron has like a billion origins aleady. And it's not a retcon when it's in a different universal stream.

 

[Eumi]

When it says homonormative does it mean that same sex relationships are the norm or that it's not got any stigma attached? Cause the first sounds very interesting considering that they're robots and that society would still totally function.

I am so close to picking this series up. The only thing hbest doing me back is my zero knowledge on Transformers.

 

[sphagnum]

I am so close to picking this series up. The only thing hbest doing me back is my zero knowledge on Transformers.

TFWiki.net for all your needs.

 

[MattKeil]

When it says homonormative does it mean that same sex relationships are the norm or that it's not got any stigma attached? Cause the first sounds very interesting considering that they're robots and that society would still totally function.

Both.

 

[Tizoc]

At least tell me he doesn't transform into a tank.

We don't even know what he transforms into in the series now :V
His gun form DOES get brought up though.

When it says homonormative does it mean that same sex relationships are the norm or that it's not got any stigma attached? Cause the first sounds very interesting considering that they're robots and that society would still totally function.

I am so close to picking this series up. The only thing hbest doing me back is my zero knowledge on Transformers.

You don't really need to know much about TF series to enjoy it, especially when over 70% of the cast are characters never featured in animated series or movies.
The series would bring up an old story arc from a few years ago, but it won't affect your enjoyment of the book much, because as it keeps going forward it'll keep you hooked on.

 

[MattKeil]

Yeah, Megatron has not transformed in years. He has no kibble that would really indicate what his alt mode is now, or if he even has one.

 

[sphagnum]

He's clearly an Actionmaster.

 

[Tizoc]

Yeah, Megatron has not transformed in years. He has no kibble that would really indicate what his alt mode is now, or if he even has one.

Might want to mark that as a spoiler just in case ;P
It's interesting how this panel further enforces just how often

Spoiler

Megatron

keeps making the wrong decision.

 

[MattKeil]

He's clearly an Actionmaster.

The preferred term is "monoformer" now.

Might want to mark that as a spoiler just in case ;P
It's interesting how this panel further enforces just how often

Spoiler

Megatron

keeps making the wrong decision.

Nah, that panel tells you nothing that doesn't want to make you learn more. What is he talking about? Who is he talking to? Why is he wearing an Autobot symbol? Why would he think Optimus has set an elaborate trap? Who are the Knights of Cybertron? What trial?

Edit: It's just too bad that to learn some of those answers one has to slog through Dark Cybertron.

 

[Messofanego]

Huh, guess this will be the first time ever I read a Transformers comic.

 

[Weiss]

I started reading MTMTE and Windblade a little while ago and they're really damn great.

 

[Tizoc]

The preferred term is "monoformer" now.



Nah, that panel tells you nothing that doesn't want to make you learn more. What is he talking about? Who is he talking to? Why is he wearing an Autobot symbol? Why would he think Optimus has set an elaborate trap? Who are the Knights of Cybertron? What trial?

Edit: It's just too bad that to learn some of those answers one has to slog through Dark Cybertron.

In that case have the better resolution ver.
http://i.imgur.com/Kqvxdxv.jpg

 

[MattKeil]

In that case have the better resolution ver.
http://i.imgur.com/Kqvxdxv.jpg

Done and done!

 

[Weltall Zero]

When it says homonormative does it mean that same sex relationships are the norm or that it's not got any stigma attached? Cause the first sounds very interesting considering that they're robots and that society would still totally function.

Both, actually:

A Conjunx Endura is a Transformer's significant other, an individual that they deeply love. In human terms, Conjuges Endurae are the equivalent of spouses; for example, when the life of a Transformer is threatened to the point of unconsciousness, it falls upon their Conjunx Endura to make medical decisions on their behalf.[1] Traditionally, a Transformer chooses a prospective partner through the ritual known as the Conjunx Ritus: four acts of affection and mutual kindness which cement the bond between the two individuals.

From tfwiki's article on Conjunx Endura, but avoid actually going there as it has a bg fat MTMTE spoiler right in the first paragraph. >_>

Until the recent rediscovery of the colonies, Cybertron was an entirely monogender society. Some of them have been "married" for millions of years!

It's interesting how this panel further enforces just how often

Spoiler

Megatron

keeps making the wrong decision.

Perhaps he should start making them in less confined spaces?

 

[HStallion]

Man I am way out of the loop with Transformers.

This was basically my thought. Then again I was also surprised to see Archie doing some crazy out there shit I never expected of that franchise and characters.

 

[sphagnum]

This was basically my thought. Then again I was also surprised to see Archie doing some crazy out there shit I never expected of that franchise and characters.

Transformers has done all sorts of crazy things in its time.

Like Kiss Players. Or Beast Wars II sausage.

 

[LordOfLore]

Yeah, Megatron has not transformed in years. He has no kibble that would really indicate what his alt mode is now, or if he even has one.

The last time we saw him in gun form was in a Ultra Magnus flashback, right?

 

[Hawkian]

I too did not know that Transformers comics were angling for any degree of maturity like this, I will have to check the books out.

 

[ReBurn]

How do the IDW comics work? Are the volumes just books that contain all of the comics published since the last volume?

 

[Zeus Molecules]

Spoilerish as hell but if you've read it I think these are both great recap videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1L9ZFn37kY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lVZMyoR6g4

 

[HStallion]

Transformers has done all sorts of crazy things in its time.

Like Kiss Players. Or Beast Wars II sausage.

I'm aware of a lot of the stuff I just stopped paying attention to the franchise once the latest cartoons started to get lackluster. Though Transformers Devastation was great.

 

[Frozenprince]

IDW consistently puts out some of the best runs around.

Can someone link a good run or series of runs that o can get in trades or an omnibus?

 

[TetraxShards]

Can someone link a good run or series of runs that o can get in trades or an omnibus?

Tizoc's recent thread on More Than Meets the Eye has everything:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1294055

If you really want omnibus format, there's the second series of Transformers: The IDW Collection but they're really expensive (all IDW trades are in physical), slow to come out and don't have a lot of issues for the money.

 

[Weltall Zero]

Spoilerish as hell but if you've read it I think these are both great recap videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1L9ZFn37kY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lVZMyoR6g4

They really need to remake the season 1 trailer in the style of the season 2 one. And still, I get my eyes wet watching it. So many memorable moments.

As recap videos they are pretty useless though, there is no way you can understand anything of what's going on without having reading the comic. Which is perhaps the entire point of trailers.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

Here's a write up I made for the series but if you want to get in quick, grab Last Stand of the Wreckers then go onto More than Meets the Eye Vol. 1 and onwards
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1294055

Thanks for making the thread wetall :3

Your thread made me go over to Humble Bundle and grab the series.

 

[Zeus Molecules]

They really need to remake the season 1 trailer in the style of the season 2 one. And still, I get my eyes wet watching it. So many memorable moments.

As recap videos they are pretty useless though, there is no way you can understand anything of what's going on without having reading the comic. Which is perhaps the entire point of trailers.

True but as someone who knows what some of those scenes mean..... It gave me the feels.

It was such a wonderful comic series.

 

[RinsFury]

Wow, I had no idea the comics were so progressive. I'm gonna check this out for sure.

I hope they can incorporate some of these ideas in the the movies.

 

[ZackieChan]

Is this better or worse than those depressing Flintstones comics?