From London to LA, and Back to the NY, Turn on Your Satellites, so we can see it Worldwide.
The Transformers Issue 9: International Incident Part 1: The Land Ironclads. July 14th 2010.
Wow, I thought I was going to have to “wine and dine” you guys.
I don’t normally jump right into talking about the art, but there’s something important to say about Guido Guidi’s work on this issue right up-front. According to the man himself, he drew a good chunk of this issue using the Don Figueroa character designs, before editorial (possibly at the behest of Hasbro) came back and said, “Nah, maybe not mate.”
So, he had to very quickly redraw what he had done, this time using the “classic” Generation One designs on everyone except Prime and Bumblebee, who try to combine that look with what Don had done.
This means we not only get everyone looking completely different again, but that the art is nowhere near the usual high standard Guido has, understandably. Therefore, on this one, I’ll be giving the basic and sparse feeling of everything a pass.
Wow, I thought I was going to have to “wine and dine” you guys.
I don’t normally jump right into talking about the art, but there’s something important to say about Guido Guidi’s work on this issue right up-front. According to the man himself, he drew a good chunk of this issue using the Don Figueroa character designs, before editorial (possibly at the behest of Hasbro) came back and said, “Nah, maybe not mate.”
So, he had to very quickly redraw what he had done, this time using the “classic” Generation One designs on everyone except Prime and Bumblebee, who try to combine that look with what Don had done.
This means we not only get everyone looking completely different again, but that the art is nowhere near the usual high standard Guido has, understandably. Therefore, on this one, I’ll be giving the basic and sparse feeling of everything a pass.
Lil bit of politics.
The story itself, after an establishing arc and a couple of standalone setup issues, is the first storyline of the series with the status quo all established, a chance to fully show how things will work now all the pieces are in place. Meaning it’s quite an important issue for dithering readers, is it going to show enough promise to make it worth committing to another four months for this arc?
At the very least, someone seems to have had a word with Costa about his undramatic openings as, for the first time in a while, something actually happens on the first page! That being a new report setting up the situation: A news report on North Korea, explaining that, following an “international incident” before the Decepticon invasion, no one has heard anything from the country in several years (apparently something not uncommon in the post ravaged by Megatron world), and all anyone knows is Kim Jong-il has been succeeded by his (fictional) son, Kim Jong Du.
At the very least, someone seems to have had a word with Costa about his undramatic openings as, for the first time in a while, something actually happens on the first page! That being a new report setting up the situation: A news report on North Korea, explaining that, following an “international incident” before the Decepticon invasion, no one has heard anything from the country in several years (apparently something not uncommon in the post ravaged by Megatron world), and all anyone knows is Kim Jong-il has been succeeded by his (fictional) son, Kim Jong Du.
"You can't kill my dreams Mr Bond, but my dreams can kill you"
Until recently, when US satellites detected energon production, creating a situation of immediate concern.
Which gives us a situation where Transformers is dancing with real, difficult, politics. Something that might not be the best idea at any time, but when you’re dealing with an author like Mike Costa, who thinks just randomly naming the issue after an H.G. Wells story is sophisticated, it has all sorts of potential to go wrong.
It’s also interesting to see how far into the real-world Hasbro were prepared to go when approving this, North Korea as the villains is fine, using their actual leader is no. Though as Jong Du is just drawn exactly like his real-life counterpart, I wonder if it just was supposed to be him at some point before the firm “No” came down.
With the set-up out of the way, we’re right into a full-on collision with real world politics and events that would have massive worldwide implications, as we get 8 pages of three Combaticons (Onslaught, Brawl and Vortex) attacking and easily ploughing through the DMZ, which would already be a declaration of war in and of itself.
Which gives us a situation where Transformers is dancing with real, difficult, politics. Something that might not be the best idea at any time, but when you’re dealing with an author like Mike Costa, who thinks just randomly naming the issue after an H.G. Wells story is sophisticated, it has all sorts of potential to go wrong.
It’s also interesting to see how far into the real-world Hasbro were prepared to go when approving this, North Korea as the villains is fine, using their actual leader is no. Though as Jong Du is just drawn exactly like his real-life counterpart, I wonder if it just was supposed to be him at some point before the firm “No” came down.
With the set-up out of the way, we’re right into a full-on collision with real world politics and events that would have massive worldwide implications, as we get 8 pages of three Combaticons (Onslaught, Brawl and Vortex) attacking and easily ploughing through the DMZ, which would already be a declaration of war in and of itself.
Bold to be so strongly reminding us of Team America.
However, this is then followed by Kim Jong Du personally leading his own troops through the wreckage because that’s what major world leaders do, apparently. He then makes it clear that “At this rate, Seoul will be ours in a matter of hours,” so this isn’t a one-off attack or show of force, it’s an invasion. Of a country that’s aligned with the US by one aligned with China. This is effectively the start of World War III, a huge and massive complicated thing that this comic could not possibly deal with, and, though I don’t really remember the rest of the arc, I will be surprised if it does.
It reminds me of the end of Die Another Day, the only Bond where he goes directly against a communist country, to the point of killing the leader of North Korea as a death space laser destroys the DMZ. A sequence of events that would have ended the film with a war starting, something it resolutely ignores to close on a diamond as penis gag.
That no thought is being given to any of this is best shown by the fact that at Skywatch HQ, Spike and company are more worried about the Transformers (including a mysterious fourth one that’s been reported) than the full-scale invasion.
In the basement, Ratchet is fixing up a very happy with their new situation Cliffjumper, who even thinks Hot Rod will never know what he’s missing.
Jetfire takes more convincing though, but Bumblebee uses various examples of how the alliance has already worked out, such as Skywatch giving them energon and “Even a ship for Springer’s people.”
It reminds me of the end of Die Another Day, the only Bond where he goes directly against a communist country, to the point of killing the leader of North Korea as a death space laser destroys the DMZ. A sequence of events that would have ended the film with a war starting, something it resolutely ignores to close on a diamond as penis gag.
That no thought is being given to any of this is best shown by the fact that at Skywatch HQ, Spike and company are more worried about the Transformers (including a mysterious fourth one that’s been reported) than the full-scale invasion.
In the basement, Ratchet is fixing up a very happy with their new situation Cliffjumper, who even thinks Hot Rod will never know what he’s missing.
Jetfire takes more convincing though, but Bumblebee uses various examples of how the alliance has already worked out, such as Skywatch giving them energon and “Even a ship for Springer’s people.”
Ah yes, the beloved Autobot mercenary group, Springer's People.
Wait, what?
This is the oddest line ever. Presumably trying to cover how the Wreckers got off Garrus 9. But they still had Ultra Magnus’ ship (that he left them to come to Earth in its shuttle), out there in orbit of the planet somewhere. And even if they came to Earth for some reason on the way home, it’s not like other Autobots haven’t come to Earth in the last 3 years, what happened to their ships?
It's a baffling out of place line, especially the use of “Springer’s people” rather than Wreckers, which sounds oddly pissy from Costa, like he really doesn’t want to acknowledge the other, more popular book by this point.
This is the oddest line ever. Presumably trying to cover how the Wreckers got off Garrus 9. But they still had Ultra Magnus’ ship (that he left them to come to Earth in its shuttle), out there in orbit of the planet somewhere. And even if they came to Earth for some reason on the way home, it’s not like other Autobots haven’t come to Earth in the last 3 years, what happened to their ships?
It's a baffling out of place line, especially the use of “Springer’s people” rather than Wreckers, which sounds oddly pissy from Costa, like he really doesn’t want to acknowledge the other, more popular book by this point.
Maybe they should do a miniseries validating Bumblebee's leadership.
This is beaten for baffling though, by what happens next. With the whole of the first arc being given over to setting up this Autobot/human alliance, you’d think all Spike would have to do is come down and say “lads, we’re up.”
Instead, he goes in to speak to “The boss.” And when everyone points at Bumblebee, he insists on “The other boss.” And when Cliffjumper says they only have one boss, Spike just flat out says “Prime.”
Jesus Spike, you didn’t burn Scrapper that hard.
Prime just turns out to be sat in his cell, because it helps him think, so Spike could have just gone straight to him. He then tries to make a big song and dance about the need to stop the Combaticons, even though the alliance he already has with Bumblebee means that help should be given automatically.
Bumblebee does at least get to make the final choice on getting involved, but he already made that choice three issues ago.
There’s one final twist though, as Spike is horrified to be told the (very white, almost an old Chris Reeve looking) President is giving a speech.
Instead, he goes in to speak to “The boss.” And when everyone points at Bumblebee, he insists on “The other boss.” And when Cliffjumper says they only have one boss, Spike just flat out says “Prime.”
Jesus Spike, you didn’t burn Scrapper that hard.
Prime just turns out to be sat in his cell, because it helps him think, so Spike could have just gone straight to him. He then tries to make a big song and dance about the need to stop the Combaticons, even though the alliance he already has with Bumblebee means that help should be given automatically.
Bumblebee does at least get to make the final choice on getting involved, but he already made that choice three issues ago.
There’s one final twist though, as Spike is horrified to be told the (very white, almost an old Chris Reeve looking) President is giving a speech.
That time John Major became President.
Not about how a sovereign nation the US is aligned with (and has thousands of troops based in) has been invaded but focusing on the Cybertronians being involved. And therefore, and in one bit of comedy Spike tries to order another solider to stop the President of the United States giving a live speech, any country working the with Transformers will be considered to have “Weapons of mass destruction” and dealt with accordingly.
Wow, topical satire there, seven years later. And five years after Doctor Who did it.
This is apparently bad, because if Skywatch go in with Transformers and they get found out, there’s no way the US could get out of facing any actual consequences for dodgy events involving WMD’s and a dubious invasion of another country. It just never could happen that nothing serious could come from this.
So, the plan is to pretend everyone had already left for South Korea, and the TV wasn’t working anyway. And they’re going to achieve this without anyone knowing it’s happened because “We’re going to do it in disguise,”
And Spike must sense the end of the issue is here because he does a needlessly dramatic pose for no reason.
Wow, topical satire there, seven years later. And five years after Doctor Who did it.
This is apparently bad, because if Skywatch go in with Transformers and they get found out, there’s no way the US could get out of facing any actual consequences for dodgy events involving WMD’s and a dubious invasion of another country. It just never could happen that nothing serious could come from this.
So, the plan is to pretend everyone had already left for South Korea, and the TV wasn’t working anyway. And they’re going to achieve this without anyone knowing it’s happened because “We’re going to do it in disguise,”
And Spike must sense the end of the issue is here because he does a needlessly dramatic pose for no reason.
Let's go gang!
This entire issue hinges on a use of real-world politics where no one acts like they would in these events. And whilst the geopolitical situation could well have changed drastically in the wake of the Decepticon invasion (and it’s possible it’s a drastically alternate timeline anyway, certainly no President would justify something using the phrase “weapons of mass destruction” post Iraq, so did that never happen here?), but that is in no way clarified or explained enough for this to make any sense.
And the stuff back at Skywatch is generally terrible, leaving a broadly well done (as it’s all new to the series characters, it’s most likely to be Guido’s first go at the art as well) and largely mute action scene in Korea as the only real highlight.
It’s not quite as lacking in anything going on as the last few issues, but it’s still as much as mess as the Autobot command structure.
Next week, Alpha Trion sends Ironhide to deal with something that really bugs him.
IRONHIDE ISSUE 3
2010
COMMENT
KO-FI
And the stuff back at Skywatch is generally terrible, leaving a broadly well done (as it’s all new to the series characters, it’s most likely to be Guido’s first go at the art as well) and largely mute action scene in Korea as the only real highlight.
It’s not quite as lacking in anything going on as the last few issues, but it’s still as much as mess as the Autobot command structure.
Next week, Alpha Trion sends Ironhide to deal with something that really bugs him.
IRONHIDE ISSUE 3
2010
COMMENT
KO-FI
