Best of Starscream

[Dominic]

Best of Starscream:

As with the Grimlock volume, an introduction (by Roberts) sets the tone for the volume and a short explanation before each selection explains why it was included. The selections are not as strong as with the Grimlock volume, but they are easily stronger than the Megatron-themed selections.

Enemy Within:
If nothing else, this early UK story has not been reprinted in the US. Included for being the first comic story where Starscream takes center stage, as well as showing of the character's defining traits. The story is middling, but the art is bad enough to sink even a better than average story.

Stargazing:
A UK Christmas story that shows another side of the character. It is a paint by numbers Christmas story where the softer side of the bad guy is shown.

=US issue 50:
Yeah, that one. Starscream never really did much in the old Marvel run. And, much like the much (and deservedly) maligned issue 24, it should probably be reprinted somewhere. This story is included to show Starscream's naked ambition for himself and contempt for others. "Generation 2" isse 11 would have been a better choice.

-Fallen Star:
Black and white filler story from the UK. Roberts notes this as the only TF story to break the fourth wall. (Roberts either forgot, or is simply ignoring, the UK framing sequence for "The Big Broadcast of 2006".) Shows Starscream at his lowest.

-Lesser of Two Evils:
Another UK filler story. Convoluted reasoning puts Starscream on the same side as the Dinobots, showing his willingness to switch sides.

-Infiltration #6:
Megatron gives Starscream an unholy beat down. Shows a modern take on the character.


Sadly, nothing from the Dreamwave era, (such as "War Within" issue 0 or issue 6 of the McDonough/Patyck/Figueroa series), made the cut.

Possibly worth buying if you are a fan of the character, or if you have not read any of the UK material included in this volume.

Grade:
C

[Shockwave]

See I thought this was a pretty good representation of the character from all angles. Granted, I only bought it because there were things included that I didn't own. But I still think the choice of selections really did show the character's defining moments, for better or worse. Even the one where he was at his lowest, he's shown bullying some Autobots to make himself feel better. The megalomaniac is shown pretty successfully in the Underbase Saga and "Enemy Within" is a good example of the treachery that he's known for. And Dom, it's really not fair to deduct points for the art as the Floro Dery designs hadn't even come out yet (this was pre-cartoon so everyone is drawn like the toys). Besides, it was pretty damned good for the time (certainly better than Marvel US was putting out). I like the Xmas story just because he's pretty much just being a dick in that one. At the end he tells the guy "you're right that did feel good... to embarass the Autobot!" and totally crushes the guy's Christmas spirit. I thought it was a good collection which represented the character at his defining points and also gave us reprints of things we hadn't seen here in the US before. I would at least give this a B.

[Gomess]

the art is bad

Yeah, whoa there cowboy, that's not a review in my neck of the woods! You might not like toy-accurate hand-painted artwork, but there's plenty that do. I never thought much of Enemy Within's plot either (hey, early Furman's just as dodgy as late Furman =p), but I always thought the art was fantastic. It looks so balls-out weird.

And yeah, I'm one of these people who thinks the attempts to make the Transformers look more 'human' in the cartoon, by altering their proportions, filling in their gaps with magic morphing bits, and giving Ratchet and Ironhide *heads* was just sillyyyy. (Was that Floro Dery? I thought he only got on board for TFTM?)

*Is amused it's the "Brits" of the board who defend this story*

But seriously Dom, you're our most prolific review guy! Give a bit more detail! I can't tell if you liked Fallen Star or not, and you don't mention the ending smirk of Stargazing, which is what most Starscream fans would love to hear about.

NOTE: Dom, you don't owe me anything and are supercool. That's just in case you get pissed at my sudden criticism, because I've gotten bad reactions from Internet Critics before for criticising them. You aren't a douche by nature, though, so I'm sure you'll take it in jest. I'm just grouchy having to go back into a big money project right after my hospital thing!

[Dominic]

When I say "the art is bad", I am not complaining about the style. I am complaining because it is damned near impossible to tell which characters I am looking at. It looks like the artist said, "Sideswipe is red, and that is enough to go with", and then ended up drawing a half-assed bastardization of Prime and Brawn....to stand in for Sideswipe. (And, I would not defend early Marvel. That was pretty awful as well.)

There is a world of difference between "stylistic differences" and "complete lack of technical skill at a job one is presumably being paid to do". The art in "Enemy Within" was the latter.


With compilation like this, I generally do not review the individual selections, as they are not the point of the review. As Trekkie hinted at, most people who would buy this sort of thing already have most of the content. (The Starscream volume has more "new" material than the others.) What I am reading for in this case is how well the selection fits with the stated goal of the volume in question. In some cases, (as with "Best of Grimlock"), the selections are really strong. In others, (such "Best of Megatron" or the Prime v/s Megatron volume from '07), the selections are pretty weak.


In this case, as stated above, there were better selections that could have been made, (such as G2 #11), and most of the selections really do not warrant in-depth reviews unless somebody who has not read them is specifically requesting them.


Dom
-seriously, "Star Gazing" is just paint by numbers.

[Shockwave]

I had no problem telling who I was looking at in "Enemy Within". In fact, I actually liked the art, it was on par with Marvel UK at the time, it was just using the toy models instead for the Floro Dery ones.

I don't understand your "Paint by numbers" comment. What do you mean?

[Gomess]

I think Dom means "generic", which, y'know, isn't really a problem for me when it comes to Christmas stories. I don't want my Christmas stories to end with anything BUT a bad guy learning the meaning of charity. I have very high standards when it comes to fiction, but "high" doesn't necessarily mean "uniform". Not all stories need to be equally creative.

[Dominic]

Gomess nailed my definition pretty closely. My problem with "Stargazing" is that there is no point to it. It was kind of a waste of paper, and certainly nothing worth including in a "best of" volume.

Seriously, how many times have we seen/read/heard this story? it is the same reason I was not wowed by McCarthy's Cliffjumper "Spotlight", or even his Drift series.

[Gomess]

Seriously, how many times have we seen/read/heard this story?

I dunno, man, that Shakespeare guy's still pretty popular. =3

[Shockwave]

Gomess nailed my definition pretty closely. My problem with "Stargazing" is that there is no point to it. It was kind of a waste of paper, and certainly nothing worth including in a "best of" volume.

Seriously, how many times have we seen/read/heard this story? it is the same reason I was not wowed by McCarthy's Cliffjumper "Spotlight", or even his Drift series.

This would be the only time that I've seen/read/heard it. Seriously. It starts with Starscream being homesick. Honestly, we don't see that very often. And even as a "Christmas story" it still isn't very typical because the villian learns nothing and is still as much a villain at the end as he was at the beginning. You don't see that very often in Xmas stories. Plus the fact that he is still as much the villain is indicative of his cruel nature which is part of his character. I think that's one of the reasons why it works so well as a defining moment of the character because it shows that side of him that even the "holiday spirit" doesn't affect him.

Now, the christmas story where Circuit Breaker learned the true meaning of Christmas: THAT was a waste of paper.

Shockwave
-On so many levels.

[Dominic]

Keep in mind, Starscream does with the kid a "Merry Christmas" at the end though.

Dom
-actually curious about the Circuit Breaker story.