Harlock
Member
Before the cartoon, were Marvel Comics people who created all the Transformers universe and characters, given backstory for the japanese toys. And I have very fond memories from the comics. The histories were more complex than the cartoon, but it not just that. Here a couple of things that I think made the comics special:
- The first issue managed to condense a huge amount of things:
Show Cybertron pre-war, the start of war, Autobots fighting back, asteroids threatening the planet, Autobot and Decepticons falling on Earth, Autobots going to explore Earth and learning about humans, more Autobot vs Decepticon battle, Bumblebee meeting the first human. And all that with full pages showing every character. And is fair good, giving all the task the writer need to do in just one issue.
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- The Transformers were kinda of low tech. The body, ships, weapons and instruments were crude. And because that they mingled better with Earth, making the history better. For example, all along the history they are in a energy crisis. They don´t know how to harvest Earth resources. The Decepticons had to capture a human to convert diesel for Transformers use. What is very cool. A lot of times they are using fuel to keep functionating. Another advantage of crude tech is that make more sense for a normal mechanic help to fix Bumblebee. And make combat damages more ugly.
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- The Autbots are always in handicap. Since the start of war, massacred by millions. In Earth, low in energy, attacked by Decepticons and humans. Most of time they are losing battles, captured or seriously damaged. And this keep me hooked to read how my favorite heroes could overcome the odds.
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- Talking about battle damage, they were real, with pieces falling off. Not just knockout bullshit without visible damage.
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- Cybertron become like hell for the Autobots. After Optimus crash on Earth, the Decepticons got the upper hand on Cybertron and the Autobots are living in underground, with the cities in ruins and the one captured are throw into a boiler cauldron.
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- The Matrix of Leadership was the Creation Matrix. Later it become like the cartoon version, but early on the Creation Matrix was like a computer program able to give life to new Transformers. Optimus transfered the program to Buster Witwicky head to not be used by Shockwave. Buster did not know that and started to manipulate inanimate machines. The Creation Matrix was another plot device used to add new characters. Every year there is a new toy line of TF. So was good to be a thing that fits consistently in the history.
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- The drawings were iconic. Maybe it is my nostalgia or the simple art, but I remember every page.
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- Transformers had a lot of interactions with the average joe. The mechanic, the student, the truck driver, the loser thug. They are too different beings, but when the robots change to car or pistol, create a connection with the humans.
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- The history was fair complex. Even with all the limitations, the writer put elements that extended for a long period. Shockwave side plot, for example. In the first issue Megaton hints that one of our "mightiest is missing". In the third issue Ratchet try to tell Optimus about something in the Ark memory bank. In the four issue they learn the Ark defense system was not sleep in the past and send Autobots (adapted as Dinobots) to defeat Shockwave, who crashed alone. And is Shockwave who defeat the Autbots later. The same information is going to be used by Ratchet in later issues to dig out the Dinobots and take the Ark back.
- The first issue managed to condense a huge amount of things:
Show Cybertron pre-war, the start of war, Autobots fighting back, asteroids threatening the planet, Autobot and Decepticons falling on Earth, Autobots going to explore Earth and learning about humans, more Autobot vs Decepticon battle, Bumblebee meeting the first human. And all that with full pages showing every character. And is fair good, giving all the task the writer need to do in just one issue.
----
- The Transformers were kinda of low tech. The body, ships, weapons and instruments were crude. And because that they mingled better with Earth, making the history better. For example, all along the history they are in a energy crisis. They don´t know how to harvest Earth resources. The Decepticons had to capture a human to convert diesel for Transformers use. What is very cool. A lot of times they are using fuel to keep functionating. Another advantage of crude tech is that make more sense for a normal mechanic help to fix Bumblebee. And make combat damages more ugly.
----
- The Autbots are always in handicap. Since the start of war, massacred by millions. In Earth, low in energy, attacked by Decepticons and humans. Most of time they are losing battles, captured or seriously damaged. And this keep me hooked to read how my favorite heroes could overcome the odds.
----
- Talking about battle damage, they were real, with pieces falling off. Not just knockout bullshit without visible damage.
----
- Cybertron become like hell for the Autobots. After Optimus crash on Earth, the Decepticons got the upper hand on Cybertron and the Autobots are living in underground, with the cities in ruins and the one captured are throw into a boiler cauldron.
----
- The Matrix of Leadership was the Creation Matrix. Later it become like the cartoon version, but early on the Creation Matrix was like a computer program able to give life to new Transformers. Optimus transfered the program to Buster Witwicky head to not be used by Shockwave. Buster did not know that and started to manipulate inanimate machines. The Creation Matrix was another plot device used to add new characters. Every year there is a new toy line of TF. So was good to be a thing that fits consistently in the history.
----
- The drawings were iconic. Maybe it is my nostalgia or the simple art, but I remember every page.
----
- Transformers had a lot of interactions with the average joe. The mechanic, the student, the truck driver, the loser thug. They are too different beings, but when the robots change to car or pistol, create a connection with the humans.
----
- The history was fair complex. Even with all the limitations, the writer put elements that extended for a long period. Shockwave side plot, for example. In the first issue Megaton hints that one of our "mightiest is missing". In the third issue Ratchet try to tell Optimus about something in the Ark memory bank. In the four issue they learn the Ark defense system was not sleep in the past and send Autobots (adapted as Dinobots) to defeat Shockwave, who crashed alone. And is Shockwave who defeat the Autbots later. The same information is going to be used by Ratchet in later issues to dig out the Dinobots and take the Ark back.
