Revisitation 22: Mo Man's Land.

20/5/2021

This week, we meet the single greatest character in all of IDW. One that will forever be close to my heart.

And also Minimus Ambus (not that you'd guess), Scorponok and Swindle in my look at Spotlight Ultra Magnus!

5 Comments

Llama God

21/5/2021 01:19:46 pm

Not a bad Spotlight this, and it's a nice, fun little story. My only gripe with it really is that I'm not a fan of the art - it feels a little like a Dreamwave hangover, and in not the best possible way, too. Just look at that opening shot of Magnus and try to figure out how his torso's working. Ah well. That said, the action's well done, and the Magnus transforming sequence, if controversial, is also well realised, so it's generally okay.

In terms of Magnus characterisation, this doesn't seem too bad - this is pre-end-of-war Magnus, where he's still his efficient best. It's what happens following this that causes him to become who he is in MTMTE. But there is the wonderful little ambiguous statement "I get into character", which I'm sure at the time just meant that he was transforming, but now can be read an additional way. So I have no problem with this.

Scorponok's a whole other issue, of course, but here I like how he handled, and ya Mo being offed so quickly shows that, as with the series' approach to the original Ark cast, this isn't just going to be a re-tread of G1.

In all, a good, fun, self-contained little story.

Jeremiah Ecks

29/9/2021 01:24:04 pm

I also Retcon-Read the bit where he said he's getting into character as Minimus Ambus 'suiting up' into the Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord.

Like Stuart said, around 2007 Magnus was very much the punchline of a joke - even the Marvel UK one, who was a badass for some time, suffered from not having his final fight with Galvatron (that is probably Furman's greatest mis-step in the UK comics).

However I grew to like him not from IDW but from re-watching the G1 animated show, especially The Killing Jar, where I realised, he's Autobot Cyclonus. Someone attached to a leader who really needs his tactical support but who isn't charismatic / confident enough to be the actual leader. However he's a badass fighter and definitely at leader level. Just like Cyclonus really.

Then I 'got' Magnus and started to like him. Even if he does casually blow up the most beautiful thing in the universe. 😇 (Man, ALL the Autobots are terrible in that story aren't they?)

IDW Magnus is VERRRRRY different than the other versions and I think it helps him stand out from being another generic leader type character which he can often be. I think this approach is healthy and helped redeem him in fans' eyes.

Scorponok is a harder sell but we'll come to him later. (Spoiler: the only Scorponok for me is US / UK Marvel)

Llama God

21/5/2021 02:53:57 pm

It's your boy Mo Zarak!
He ain't your beau, Zarak.
Now that's fo sho, Zarak.
But he's too slow Zarak,
When you say "Go, Zarak!"
Now there's no Mo Zarak.
That's what you get when you deal with Scorponok!
ULTRA MAGNUS IS IN THE BUILDING PEOPLE!

Llama God

21/5/2021 02:54:29 pm

I didn't get enough sleep last night.

Stuart

21/5/2021 06:09:51 pm

I was so excited at seeing there were three replies as well.

Revisitation 22: Mo Man's Land.

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