Spotlight:

[andersonh1]

The Blurr story was really good, but I think Metroplex was my favorite. If nothing else, watching Metroplex smack down Sixshot and then stomp on him while one-upping the "I am ________" declaration was hilarious. "You still function?" "Of course. I am Sixshot and" "I AM METROPLEX!" *stomps*

That's fun stuff right there.

[Dominic]

As much as I like Metroplex the character, I was not a fan of the "Spotlight". Wow. Big running fight scene with hints of a "huge epic somthing or another" thread.

The Blurr issue was great though.

I do not see Drift as being a fan character. It is not like McCarthy is writing himself into the book.

Another very nice touch is the way other races view Cybertronians. "They're a plague everywhere they go." They're hated and feared at the same time, to the point where Drift has to disguise himself in order to interact with the natives. We haven't had much in the way of a third party commentary on the Transformers' war before. It makes sense, given how destructive they are.

Kinds puts a new light on the ongoing series.

Dom
-could probably get behind a TF purge actually.

[andersonh1]

I might agree that Blurr was the better story, but I just got more visceral enjoyment out of the Metroplex story. Probably had something to do with the invincible punk that is Sixshot cut down to size by a giant foot.

As for what he's guarding... I'm not convinced the writer knew. It seems as though, logically, someone as powerful and game-changing as Metroplex would be on the front lines helping to secure victory. So they had to come up with a reason why he wasn't. I could be wrong, and they may actually have a plan for what Metroplex is guarding, but I don't know what it would be.

[Sparky Prime]

I do not see Drift as being a fan character. It is not like McCarthy is writing himself into the book.

A fan character doesn't have to be a representation of the writer to be a 'fan character'. And I'd have to agree with andersonh1, Drift certainly has that fan character vibe to him.

[Dominic]

The problem is that Drift was thematically needed for AHM. But, there was no pre-existing character to fill the roll. (Carnivac would have been enough of a stretch that it would hardly be worth the effort to use him.) Had Drift been a pre-Beast era character, there would be far fewer complaints. Look at G1 Hotrod. He is as much a fan character as Drift, but few people complain.

As for what he's guarding... I'm not convinced the writer knew. It seems as though, logically, someone as powerful and game-changing as Metroplex would be on the front lines helping to secure victory. So they had to come up with a reason why he wasn't. I could be wrong, and they may actually have a plan for what Metroplex is guarding, but I don't know what it would be.

It sounds like you are saying IDW wrote in an absurdly powerful character with a hazy motivation....just to have him show up and brood while stomping another stupidly over-powered character.

Why bother?


Dom
-really wanted to like the "Metroplex" special.

[andersonh1]

The problem is that Drift was thematically needed for AHM. But, there was no pre-existing character to fill the roll. (Carnivac would have been enough of a stretch that it would hardly be worth the effort to use him.) Had Drift been a pre-Beast era character, there would be far fewer complaints. Look at G1 Hotrod. He is as much a fan character as Drift, but few people complain.

I like Drift, so I'm not bashing either the character or McCarthy, but he does come across as a fan character in the sense that he's just that good. He's such an awesome fighter he doesn't need ranged weapons even when everyone else uses them. He's so cool that everyone is awed by the weapons he carries and the people he's met, etc. In other words, he's just a little too good to be true. Think about bad fan-fiction where the writer inserts his own character into the story, and that character is tougher and stronger than established official Transformers characters, and they all react with awe. You rarely see that with established characters, unless someone like Omega Supreme or Optimus Prime shows up.

Despite that, Drift is an interesting character and he's not over-the-top in his effectiveness, which makes all the difference for me. I like how laid-back he is about everything, and as you say he fits in thematically with AHM. And his backstory has merit, so I'd call the character a success.

As for what he's guarding... I'm not convinced the writer knew. It seems as though, logically, someone as powerful and game-changing as Metroplex would be on the front lines helping to secure victory. So they had to come up with a reason why he wasn't. I could be wrong, and they may actually have a plan for what Metroplex is guarding, but I don't know what it would be.

It sounds like you are saying IDW wrote in an absurdly powerful character with a hazy motivation....just to have him show up and brood while stomping another stupidly over-powered character.

Why bother?


Dom
-really wanted to like the "Metroplex" special.

Dom, you just don't like super-powered characters much, do you?

I happen to like Sixshot as written in IDW's continuity. I like the concept of him being the 'clean up' bot that comes in at the end of the infiltration and destabilization process, as well as his attitude about the whole thing. He's all brooding when he's on his own, but he's in a good humor all through Devastation, and seems to be enjoying himself. The same is true in Spotlight Metroplex, where he threatens and wisecracks a bit, and is generally consistent with his portrayal in Devastation. Despite all of that, it's also satisfying to see such characters get their just desserts, as he does here.

Metroplex is powerful because of his size. Nothing off-base about that!

I like seeing the heavyweights go at it. I enjoy the occasional extreme display of sheer brute force like Omega Supreme's arrival to rescue the Autobots in AHM. If every hero and villain has exactly the same power level, what's the point? Why not just enjoy watching them cut loose and go at it every once in awhile? I certainly do.

[Sparky Prime]

The problem is that Drift was thematically needed for AHM. But, there was no pre-existing character to fill the roll. (Carnivac would have been enough of a stretch that it would hardly be worth the effort to use him.) Had Drift been a pre-Beast era character, there would be far fewer complaints. Look at G1 Hotrod. He is as much a fan character as Drift, but few people complain.

How was he 'thematically needed'? He barely even does anything in AHM. He shows off his mad skillz against the Swarm, tells Ironhide the Decepticons had access to the Autobots' systems in a way that Sunstreaker couldn't have given them, and some Autobots don't trust the former Decepticon. I think the Scary Sniper Perceptor practically fills that roll himself.

And I don't see what you mean about G1 Hot Rod... He was the new upstart kid destined for greatness but he wasn't portrayed as a fan character. He clearly had his faults like any other TF character of the era. Drift as andersonh1 points out, is just too good, making him that much more of a fan character.

[andersonh1]

How was he 'thematically needed'? He barely even does anything in AHM. He shows off his mad skillz against the Swarm, tells Ironhide the Decepticons had access to the Autobots' systems in a way that Sunstreaker couldn't have given them, and some Autobots don't trust the former Decepticon. I think the Scary Sniper Perceptor practically fills that roll himself.

According to McCarthy, Drift fit in with the themes of forgiveness and trust that ran through the story. As an ex-Decepticon who had once killed any number of Autobots, he obviously wasn't trusted or accepted by everyone. But he didn't retaliate or lash out like some of the other Autobots did. He's an example of what one post-war future could be, a future where former Autobots and Decepticons co-exist in relative peace, while Megatron's brutal actions on Earth are another possibility.

And in AHM he does come across as less of a fan character, since he's not stealing the spotlight or showing up the other Autobots. He's just one of the group.

[Sparky Prime]

According to McCarthy, Drift fit in with the themes of forgiveness and trust that ran through the story. As an ex-Decepticon who had once killed any number of Autobots, he obviously wasn't trusted or accepted by everyone. But he didn't retaliate or lash out like some of the other Autobots did. He's an example of what one post-war future could be, a future where former Autobots and Decepticons co-exist in relative peace, while Megatron's brutal actions on Earth are another possibility.

Eh... I suppose I can see him working as a theme for trust, being a former Decepticon, but I really don't see that Drift was "thematically needed" in this story at all or that he was highlighted having that purpose. Costa had done a better job of that in just 2 issues of the ongoing than Drift did in any issues McCarthy wrote, and it's a much more relevant theme in the ongoing as well.

And in AHM he does come across as less of a fan character, since he's not stealing the spotlight or showing up the other Autobots. He's just one of the group.

Now that I really don't agree with. Although he may not do much in the story, when he does, the spotlight most certainly is on him, and it's a lot brighter than it is for any other character.

[andersonh1]

Now that I really don't agree with. Although he may not do much in the story, when he does, the spotlight most certainly is on him, and it's a lot brighter than it is for any other character.

I wonder if he doesn't stand out simply because we're aware of his origins, and because he's a new character, rather than for any other reason. I was expecting him to really dominate the story before I read it, given all the hype here and there, so I was surprised at how little he really contributes. I'm still trying to decide just how 'brightly the spotlight hits him' as it were, for that very reason. If Sideswipe, for example, had been given the exact same lines and exact same actions, would he seem to be as emphasized as Drift? I'm not sure.