Revisitation 153: Drift Makes a Dent.

30/12/2023

Apologies for another unplanned two week break, work over Christmas went a little nuts.

But, we're back with a big banger of an issue with some controversy, so hopefully I won't need emergency care from the responses in my look in Life After the Big Bang!

2 Comments

T-Wing link

2/1/2024 06:41:18 pm

Always thought it was odd how Roberts handled Pipes. Early on, it seemed like he'd be the "Waspinator"-type guy who was always getting roasted for comedic effect. Then Roberts goes and gives him one of the most crushingly (hurhur) tragic death scenes midway through this first "season". I guess it's counter to typical trope expectations, like you'd assume the buttmonkey would end up with a win in the end, but it just seems kinda...cruel in hindsight.

Drift's murder of Dent has always kind of rubbed me the wrong way too. I suppose Roberts could have played it more comedic, like "I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT HE WAS A ZOMBIE!!!" but since he's clearly writing Drift as a secret baddie at this point, the callousness really stands out.

Llama God

5/1/2024 01:39:29 pm

First of all, happy new year! Secondly, apologies again for the late comments, but you know... *points in the general direction of life*

For the most part, this is a very strong issue, especially so when it was originally released. With all the worldbuilding and continued strong charater work going on, this was where the series felt like it might be going somewhere special - provided that editorial would actually let it run, that is.

Just to address the big, purple elephant in the room, yes, that Cyclonus and Tailgate moment is very uncomfortable. There's a number of ways that could be read, of course, and Cyclonus' behaviour explained, but certainly it makes the development of their eventual relationship more than a little problematic. I'd probably come down on the side that this is something that was meant to be forgotten about, more than anything - because certainly by the time the apology is given, I'd actually forgotten that this had happened. Which is a testament to either the writing or just the fact that too much was going on, or a damning indictment of my memory. Whatever the case, on a re-read it does indeed stand out much more and certainly isn't pleasant.

The rest of the issue is a great, tense mystery (of sorts), though - and that's what I tend to remember about this one. Establishing the DJD and Delphi is more great lore building work, and continues to make the universe feel more expansive than it ever had before. There is of course the question of why The Lost Light remains presumed lost for so long following contact with Delphi, but that's another thing we can probably overlook.

I'm also a big fan of Fortress Maximus' awkward hero speech at the end of the issue. Rather than feeling like forced exposition (which it is), it actually reads like Max knows the trope of the big hero speech, and just isn't very good at it - which for me fits his character.

As well as the writing, Milne's artwork continues to excel, as he approaches what will probably be his strongest era. Amongst all of the usual crazy amount of detail is also something I didn't notice until this read through - in the background of the bar scene Skids uses his grappling hook to grab a serving droid to get more drinks. Not sure how I'd managed to miss that before, but there you go.

In general, though, a very strong issue - albeit with one very big and uncomfortable moment. But certainly not one to put me off re-reading any further - although maybe one to make me think a little more carefully...

Revisitation 153: Drift Makes a Dent.

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