The Beast Wars comic (2021-22) (RIP)

[sun0wl]

Did anyone else read this during/since its run?

I did...I remember this time well because I was at one of the lowest points in my life. At the same time, for the first time in my life, I had the opportunity and means to buy and read a comic direct from a local store as it was released every few weeks.

It made me so happy despite everything, and there's been a yawning hole in my soul ever since lol.

(images from https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/review-for-idw-transformers-beast-wars-5/46067/ and https://comicbookrealm.com/ )

I wasn't a fan of all the styles in the artist round robin (guess which), but I learned to appreciate all of them. And the covers were all so rad.
Plus I am such a huge BW fan, I didn't care... It was just great to have BW back and it was pretty well-written.

I'm not sure how well it did or it the creators are thinking of doing anything more with the IP any time soon, but I sure hope so.

Just thinking about it almost makes me want to dig up my childhood copy of the PS1 game...

(if only I didn't sell it for like $5 at Babbages when I was 14 lmaoo)

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I never read the comics (didn't even know they existed), but I was a fan of the TV show... So much so that it was what led me to give CGI a chance.

 

[Dyne]

I watched the cartoon back in the 90s. I didn't know there was a comic made semi-recently. Cool

 

[sun0wl]

I never read the comics (didn't even know they existed), but I was a fan of the TV show... So much so that it was what led me to give CGI a chance.

Would definitely recommend checking out the comics if/when you get the chance. None of the TV show writers worked on the comic AFAIK, but the characterization and writing are pretty true to the show.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Would definitely recommend checking out the comics if/when you get the chance. None of the TV show writers worked on the comic AFAIK, but the characterization and writing are pretty true to the show.

Nice! Gotta be honest, man: it only took that one shot of Megatron trying to decipher the Golden Disk (and the shot of the other Deceptions just outside the door) to make it all come flowing right back. I even read that with the voice they gave him on the Spanish dub lol.

Looks extremely neat and high quality... May actually go for it!

 

[fake-kun]

I was literally reading its TV Tropes page right now.

 

[sun0wl]

I was literally reading its TV Tropes page right now.

great thanks to that page i need the whole damn thing read by the original cast

Also that page reminded to warn those looking at the comic after watching the TV show--
Perhaps the biggest deviation from the TV continuity (besides the obvious abridging/etc. for the format and length of the comic) is that there are some new characters, two Maximals and one Predacon. But they aren't bad and certainly don't detract from the whole package, IMHO. To quote the Tropes page, they're basically Expys for Tigertron, Nightscream, and maybe some others that featured in later seasons of the show that the comic writers apparently didn't want to try and cram into the brief timeline of the comic.

 

[destinyduelist]

RIP IDW Transformers in general, More Than Meets The Eye is potentially the single greatest Transformers media, and the single greatest space sci-fi adventure written. Skybound is doing good so far, but I'm waiting on something as incredible as MTMTE.

 

[gojiban]

started cuz i got it reccomended even tho i never watched the series only read the first 2 issues because i was going trough a rough time

 

[Ezri_Muldoon]

Beast Wars is one of the rare franchise entries that shouldn't be re-worked or re-imagined as what ever derivative is produced is usually inferior.
It's like re-working the 1986 film it just can't be improved upon.

That being said I will actually give this a read now you've reminded me of its existence as I have an worrying near encyclopedic knowledge of Beast Wars/Machines production history as what Mainframe had to cut out is super interesting.
I am curious what was dug up & implemented or whether they keep old retcons such as the Vok being precursors to the Swarm or the events of Dark Glass actually happening.

 

[sun0wl]

Beast Wars is one of the rare franchise entries that shouldn't be re-worked or re-imagined as what ever derivative is produced is usually inferior.
It's like re-working the 1986 film it just can't be improved upon.

That being said I will actually give this a read now you've reminded me of its existence as I have an worrying near encyclopedic knowledge of Beast Wars/Machines production history as what Mainframe had to cut out is super interesting.
I am curious what was dug up & implemented or whether they keep old retcons such as the Vok being precursors to the Swarm or the events of Dark Glass actually happening.

agree with your first point in that all I really want is an upscaled Blu-Ray collection of Beast Wars/Machines... but as much as I love what exists, I've seen it all so many times I'm just starved for anything new lol. Though actually it's been so long, I could re-watch it now and probably find stuff I don't remember.

Given your knowledge of the series, I'd be very interested to know what you think if you do read the comic! The Vok are definitely involved, but I don't recall how they integrated that part of the BW story. (Man I remember downloading that episode's script in college though, haha. The writing on average in the show is just *chef's kiss* TV...)

TBH when I read the comic, my BW knowledge was a bit rusty, so there could very well be some horrific continuity/characterization sins that I missed, or that I am just conveniently forgetting about because I recall my overall experience of reading the comics with rose-tinted glasses.

 

[Ezri_Muldoon]

agree with your first point in that all I really want is an upscaled Blu-Ray collection of Beast Wars/Machines... but as much as I love what exists, I've seen it all so many times I'm just starved for anything new lol. Though actually it's been so long, I could re-watch it now and probably find stuff I don't remember.

Given your knowledge of the series, I'd be very interested to know what you think if you do read the comic! The Vok are definitely involved, but I don't recall how they integrated that part of the BW story. (Man I remember downloading that episode's script in college though, haha. The writing on average in the show is just *chef's kiss* TV...)

TBH when I read the comic, my BW knowledge was a bit rusty, so there could very well be some horrific continuity/characterization sins that I missed, or that I am just conveniently forgetting about because I recall my overall experience of reading the comics with rose-tinted glasses.

I've had an autistic fixation with Mainframe entertainment for 20+ years haha

I grew up with it all, and I still find their writing impressive whether that's BW, Reboot! (Season 3) or War Planets: Shadow Raiders.
I really want to emphasize Shadow Raiders and its the peak of Mainframes writing in terms of sophistication, features a eldritch monstrosity that is actually invulnerable, and well. Its best described as 40k for kids. [It also has a definitive ending which is great]

I will check out the comics, I love Beast Wars and I'm still mad they ruined their potential in the latest live action film by forcing them to share screen time with both Humans, G1 & Unicron rather than take inspiration from the show.
Especially since (Unpopular opinion) Beast Machines Megatron has real promise as a Endgame-esc overarching Villain and knowing the development hell that show went through
(Season 1 wasn't allowed to reference BW due to Hasbro fearing continuity lock out. Ironically driving the writers to tie into G1 resulting in absolute incomprehensible madness. No kid in 2000 knew what the Key to Vector Sigma was)
You could have really worked on a re-imagining of Beast wars where Megatron's descent into megalomania is a multiple film arc.
Every defeat driving him from scheming conqueror to genocidal tyrant.

Ah well, War for Cybertron (Netflix series) was fantastic even if the final act got way to ambitious with the audience needing meta knowledge. I'll take it

 

[sun0wl]

I've had an autistic fixation with Mainframe entertainment for 20+ years haha

I grew up with it all, and I still find their writing impressive whether that's BW, Reboot! (Season 3) or War Planets: Shadow Raiders.
I really want to emphasize Shadow Raiders and its the peak of Mainframes writing in terms of sophistication, features a eldritch monstrosity that is actually invulnerable, and well. Its best described as 40k for kids. [It also has a definitive ending which is great]

I will check out the comics, I love Beast Wars and I'm still mad they ruined their potential in the latest live action film by forcing them to share screen time with both Humans, G1 & Unicron rather than take inspiration from the show.
Especially since (Unpopular opinion) Beast Machines Megatron has real promise as a Endgame-esc overarching Villain and knowing the development hell that show went through
(Season 1 wasn't allowed to reference BW due to Hasbro fearing continuity lock out. Ironically driving the writers to tie into G1 resulting in absolute incomprehensible madness. No kid in 2000 knew what the Key to Vector Sigma was)
You could have really worked on a re-imagining of Beast wars where Megatron's descent into megalomania is a multiple film arc.
Every defeat driving him from scheming conqueror to genocidal tyrant.

Ah well, War for Cybertron (Netflix series) was fantastic even if the final act got way to ambitious with the audience needing meta knowledge. I'll take it
View attachment 27600

Somehow I haven't heard of Shadow Raiders before but that's quite high praise, I'll have to check it out!

 

[King Koopa's iconKing Koopa]

I have a friend who's a huge transformers fans and has read these. I've been meaning to get around to them.