Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Author's Reflections- Comics #157-160

 
#157
 







#158
 




#159
 




#160
 








#157-160
 
With the cast split up into small groups I wanted to spend a few comics focusing on each of them before getting them all back together. Naturally, I dragged it out a little too long. Looking back at these four comics I could easily have condensed them down into one or two. I think my favorite part out of all these comics is the bit about Hot Rod’s communicator. For those of you who don’t have a history with Transformers, Hot Rod had a buzz saw weapon he briefly used in the 1986 animated movie. When the Classics Hot Rod toy was released in 2006 it had a little piece that flipped out, vaguely resembling the saw blade, labeled as a communicator. I definitely wasn’t the first one to make a joke at its expense, but that’s the background behind it.

Author's Reflections- Comics #150-156

 
#150
 










#151
 






 
#152
 






#153
 






#154
 






#155
 





#156
 












#150-156
 
This comic had really been a long time in the making. As soon as I had decided I’d explain the backdrop change when I moved I realized Shockwave had never come back through the Blue Hole into the old dimension. Even though he had been given the groveling characterization from the G1 cartoon I thought he was still a Decepticon and trying to gain power over the Knockoffs he has encountered seemed to work out really well. Having power over the Ungas (the Ungas’ worshipping him as their deity is the reason I gave them the cavemen-like characterizations) gave him the self-esteem boost to turn the tables on Megatron and try to get him out of the picture (a tiny glimpse at the G1 comic Shockwave characterization). Since the wimpy sniveling Shockwave is much more satisfying to write for, I quickly decided to have the Ungas misinterpret his order to get rid of all the Transformers, seeing his OWN Decepticon insignia and using the most literal definition and getting rid of ALL the Transformers. I remember having a lot of fun writing these six comics and being extremely excited to work Shockwave back into the comic. I do still like a few of the dialogue exchanges as well, most notably Megatron’s Cybertronian version of ‘Eat s*** and Die’ in comic #150, Megatron’s William Shatner-esque reaction to finding out Shockwave was in control of their captors in #150 and #151, the general abuse the others give Shockwave and his brilliant escape plan (which obviously worked), and I like the Ungas at the end of #156 (which also gave me an excuse to use the Computer radio again!).