Unnerving Violence & False Freedom (Transformers: AoE Review)

COME GET SOME FREEDOM!

As we all know, this past weekend brought the release of Transformers: Age of Extinction upon us. Despite all of the hype, I failed to find the motivation to venture out to see it myself. Upon discussing the film's interesting early reception, my pal GogDog, whom many of you should know from his impressive toy photography and former WTF@TFW Podcast hosting duties, offered to be Castle Geek-Skull's surrogate moviegoer. It would appear the experience left quite an impression, because he came back with quite a tale. Even if you've already had your fill of AoE reviews, trust me, this one is well worth checking out. (Please be warned: the review does contain spoilers)

Alright Gog, take it away:

"I was fairly apathetic in my desire to see Transformers: Age of Extinction. Having seen the previous three films in the series (all directed by Michael Bay) several times each, I knew what to expect. The Transformers film franchise is widely known for its over the top robot action with beautiful, state of the art computer-rendered effects and well-choreographed battle scenes, as well as two-dimensional, unbelievable characters, and confusing, jarring editing.

My interest piqued when the film began to screen. I saw such widely varying opinions from people I know quite well. Their general takes on the film ranged from calling it a noticeable, marked improvement over the previously well-known problems in the series' production, to declaring it “an utterly awful bewildering film” and giving it a score two points lower than the scale even bottomed out at. At this point, I wanted to absorb every bit of my friends' opinions that I could. I wanted to know, in every detail, without spoilers, how and why they felt the film was enjoyable or not, and in what ways it was successful or a failure. Then I would watch the film and experience just why it was pulling people in such widely different directions. I thought I knew what to expect. Let me tell you — I did not. This film managed to shock me in several different ways and for very, very different reasons.

Transformers Generation 1 Toyline: Autobot Highlights

Destined for pasty shoulders everywhere.

Hey you crazy kids, it's time to throw down with the Autobot side of my Transformers Generation 1 toyline highlights! My affections might lean towards the Decepticons, but there are still more than enough lovable 'Bots to go around. Now, journey with me through each year of the original TF toyline as I struggle to decide which releases are my favorites!

Disclaimer, Part II: There's no need to freak if I leave out one of your preferred 'Bots. Everyone has their own taste and I'm merely sharing mine. Blah blah, let's get to it!

1984: Optimus Prime

Picking a favorite from the 1984 Autobot assortment is actually quite difficult. Part of me would love to go with Prowl, Jazz, Mirage, Sideswipe, or even Hound. I don't want to immediately jump to the obvious choice, but I can't help it; I'll always have a soft spot for Optimus Prime. His original toy has an undeniable presence that really sets him apart. It's not hard to see why Hasbro assigned this guy the leadership role.

Transformers Generation 1 Toyline: Decepticon Highlights

Destined for car windows everywhere.

Hey. Wanna know a secret? The original Transformers toyline from the 1980s brought us some of the most memorable toys ever. Yeah, I know I just blew your mind, so I'll give you a minute to compose yourself.

All better now? Good! With the Transformers toyline's iconic status in mind, I figure sharing a list of each year's highlights is a fun idea. I'm going to start with the Decepticons first. In the 80's, the bad guys were always a bit more fun.

First, a disclaimer: I know from experience that some of you reading this might become enraged because I've left out one of your favorites. I'd suggest taking matters like some dude's toy preferences a bit more lightly. Anyway, let's get to it!

1984: Soundwave

Soundwave is one of the most iconic Transformer characters around, and his toy is excellent. It goes without saying that the micro-cassette recorder alt mode sparked tons of imaginations, but the biggest draw here is the tall, reasonably articulated, and solidly proportioned robot mode. If there's one must-have Decepticon from '84, I say it's Soundwave.

Even the "Worst" Action Figures Still Have Merit!

Web-Suction Hands!

This is Marvel Superheroes Spider-Man, the first in a long line of 1990s Spidey action figure releases from Toy Biz. It hasn't aged well, and it honestly might have been a bit lackluster even at the time of its release. After all, the most significant advancement over the Secret Wars Spidey from six years prior was articulated knees. Big whoop, right? Regardless, when I received this figure on Christmas morning of 1990, I was absolutely awe-struck. I only vaguely remember the exact moment, but I know it was a pretty big deal.

How "Transformers: the Movie" Taught Me That Credits Matter!

A gigantic chunk of my childhood was spent watching Transformers: The Movie from 1986 over and over again. I geeked out over it more with each viewing. I ultimately found myself interested in the end credits as well. As the cast list rolled by, seeing the names of kick-ass voice actors like Michael Bell, Peter Cullen, and the godly Frank Welker credited as not just one but several of my favorite fictional characters made a giant impression on me. Just like that, I had yet another interest to fully immerse myself in.

Batman Cereal (1989) Retrospective!

In the summer of 1989, Tim Burton's film adaptation of Batman came along and kicked all kinds of box-office ass. No matter what you think of the flick, it was quite a pop-culture phenomenon. As you would expect, the advertising campaign was vicious. After Batman was a proven hit, well, ca-ching! Good lawd was there ever money to be made, and the opportunity wasn't passed up. Bat-logos ended up being slapped onto just about everything. It's no surprise this Bat-flood of Bat-products (ouch, that was painful) carried over into the cereal aisle as well.

The Goofiest Action Figure Vehicles Ever!

It's not uncommon for toy collectors and "kid-at-heart" types to look back fondly on their action figure vehicles. From Technodromes to T.I.E. Fighters, the various pimped-out rides of our heroes and villains were often among the most coveted pieces of our collections. However, not every vehicle was worthy of such affection. In fact, some were downright nonsensical! Let's take a look at five of the goofiest vehicles (and vehicle assortments) ever:

Ultra Street Fighter IV Decapre Character Reveal From a Casual Perspective

The long-hyped "fifth new character" from Ultra Street Fighter IV was finally revealed this weekend. Capcom chose the "Final Round XVII" tournament in Atlanta, GA to drop the news, a fine choice given its long-standing role in the Fighting Game Community. It turns out the new roster addition is Decapre, one of M. Bison's "Dolls" (brainwashed assassins.) Don't look at me, Street Fighter isn't exactly known for its great storylines.

How the "Game Grumps" Moved Me To Tears

This should really require no introduction. Game Grumps, initially the collaboration of popular Youtubers Egoraptor and JonTron (now Egoraptor and Danny Sexbang, who also swap co-hosting duties with Rubber Ninja on the channel's Steam Train installment), is easily one of Youtube's most beloved gaming channels. For the two people who may be in the dark, Game Grumps features daily gameplay videos with some of the most ludicrously fun commentary you'll find anywhere. Since its debut in the summer of 2012, its popularity has only grown, with more and more people becoming absolutely hooked on stopping by each day to enjoy the latest ten-minute chunks of gameplay. At the time of this writing, the Game Grumps channel has close to 1,500,000 subscribers.

You Can Find Anything in Claw Machines, even the Most Unlikely of Heroes

Whether you know these plushie-riddled prisons as Claw Machines, UFO Catchers, or "Those Damn Money-Stealing Bastards", you must have noticed that they are absolutely EVERYWHERE, and their contents are often as varied as the day is long. Being a person of the "geeky" persuasion, my eye is usually caught when some of my favorite characters such as the Batman trio above are included. I'm never intrigued enough to gamble my money, but I get at least a moment's joy out of spotting them. It appears I'm also obsessed with taking photos of them with my ancient phone.

Hmm, I was going somewhere with this, wasn't I? Ah, the point emerges: I really do see all kinds of interesting toys in Claw Machines. In the words of the Immortal Milk Daddy, the proof is in the motherfuckin' puddin':

Fighting Game Single-Player Modes are Important Too!

While I love the Street Fighter IV series, I have long been of the belief that its single-player modes leave a bit to be desired. Even the Arcade Mode seems to lack the same "cool factor" that some past iterations had. The opening and ending cut-scenes often feel overly random, and the only special feature as you make your way to Seth, SF4's final boss, is the "Fight Your Rival!" match that offers little more than some fun in-match banter from the characters. Beyond Arcade Mode, the single-player experience essentially only extends to the obligatory Training Mode and Trials. You can participate in classic Street Fighter mini-games such as car crushing and barrel smashing as well, but their nostalgic allure only goes so far.

FansProject - Friend or Foe

Haha, what an overly dramatic title!

It's old news by now, but yes, FansProject, a third party toy manufacturer in the Transformer-upgradin business, is releasing a black version of the Protector armor (an upgrade for Classics Rodimus) with a scythe that's all goth and shit. They've limited the dark, moody bastard to 400 pieces. The preorders are about gone, or maybe even entirely gone by now. I can't say I care enough to check seeing as I can't afford it and don't own either of the dark repaints of the Classics Rodimus mold anyway.

Blah. Blah blah! And furthermore - blah. To the point! The Shattered Glass Rodimus from Botcon 08, the primary toy that this new armor (dubbed "Shadow Scyther") is meant for, has skyrocketed in value. One just went for 500 bucks on eBay - http://cgi.ebay.com/Transformers-BOTCON-2008-RODIMUS-Hot-Rod-Figure-/260659474807?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb083f177

Let me go ahead and say it - FansProject makes some great shit. A lot of people rag on them for using Hasbro's Intellectual Property for their own gain. While it's indeed a bit shady - they're creative, they put out quality product, and they're careful to not do anything outright illegal. It's nothing like that company that made an exact miniaturized copy of Masterpiece Convoy and is releasing Masterpiece conehead seekers based directly on the existing MP Starscream mold. I give FP kudos there.

I am bothered that most toys they make "upgrades" for then become even harder to get however. It happened with the "Revenge of the Fallen" Aerialbots/Combaticons (initially meant for Universe 2.0/Classics) and the white Classics Prime "Ultra Magnus" (all Target exclusive toys that some couldn't track down in stores) as well. Anyone that wants those toys now, even fans that just want the base Hasbro product, will now have to dig even deeper into their pockets than they would have prior to the FansProject upgrades.

Personally, I dig the idea of the Shattered Glass universe and always wanted to get the toys. An important part of that "set", the black Rodimus, complete with evil facial hair, is now even less likely to have a place on my shelves. I appreciate what FansProject does, but for those of us with tighter budgets that dreamed of someday owning slightly more "prestige items" like SG Rodimus, they're only complicating that even further. It's not the worst thing in the world but it's still a tiny bit frustrating.

Just a thought.

War for Cybertron Optimus Prime: Don Truck + Monkey Truck = Game Truck

This is not a new thought by any means, but I wanted to make an image where you can readily compare these versions of Optimus Prime in one go. From left to right: War Within Optimus, Transtech Optimus, and War for Cybertron Optimus. Interesting stuff. If you wish to do so, you can click the image to view in full size.

New Transformer Aesthetics Part II - Transformers On-Going

In a previous installment of Castle Geek Skull I talked about Don Figueroa's new movie-injected Transformer comic art. My general feelings were that even though Don claims to just be experimenting - it's fairly clear the aim is to detail the bots more like the ones found in the live action Transformers movie. I don't feel that translates too well to the page, and it actually feels a bit strange for the G1 Transformers, especially the supposedly "heroic" Autobots. Should those guys really have freaky, skeletal faces?

Since then, an on-going Transformers comic with that art style has been announced, and with each bit of news and promo art released - the new look is almost always the dominant aspect of forum discussion, especially the faces.

Given how often it comes up that people are a little iffy about them - I wondered if smoothing the faces out a bit, but perhaps not completely as simple as before, would look more "appropriate" for G1 bots. Enter Photoshop:

Well. It certainly takes away the whole ARGH I AM A SCARY KILLER ROBOT vibe. I think that's important.

Do I think Don should actually change what he's doing though? Well, maybe I'd like that, as would many others, but really, so what? By all means, he should do whatever he feels is right. After all, a lot of Transformers fans scoffed at the first promo shot of Transformers Animated Optimus Prime, only to soon grow to love the show, the toys, and yeah, even its general aesthetic. Guilty as charged! So, perhaps this new comic style for TFs will grow on me and all of the rest of us as well. However, I still hope the whole reason for the new look isn't some sign of a forthcoming brand shift that accommodates the Bay movie look over all else. Please, let's keep that it's own separate entity.

All Hail Megatron 13 - The new direction of Transformer aesthetics?

Previews for IDW's All Hail Megatron #13, the return of Simon Furman and Don Figueroa, are out - and it's actually a bit worrying in a way:

So...our Generation 1 Transformers are starting to get the skeletal, thousand-part plate filled faces now.

It's fine to experiment but I and some others worry this is a sign that maybe the whole franchise might shift into a movie-injected aesthetic. It's not even my personal distaste for the look of the movie bots...it's just that I don't want the whole feel of the brand to change just because one part of it has more exposure. It'd be like when the X-Men comics suddenly had everyone in black leather after the first X-Men film came out. Almost alienating, as if the thinking is "the mainstream way - or NO way!"

It's probably going too far to assume this is some telling shift for the franchise at large, but it still makes you wonder if that might be happening.

I know a lot of people rag on the "liquid metal faces" but...it just looks so much nicer to me than whatever the hell is going on here. It may be more logical that they have all sorts of different plates in their faces, but it just appears cluttered and makes them look like any old cold, random robot. One of the main attributes of the Transformers franchise, and one of the main charms as far as I'm concerned, is that the robots are relatable, with personalities akin to that of humans. I think the smoother, simpler faces teeter more towards the human-like side of the spectrum and serve as a better physical mirror of the personalities, and yes, I think it has been done convincingly without going too far ala teeth and tongues. This high-tech, almost skeletal look loses a bit of that charm and serves as a slight disconnect from their...perceived human-like nature, I think.

A post from Nato Bot at TFW hit it well, I think:

I just got my issue in the mail today. I agree that Don's work is awesome. I like what he's done with their bodies, just not the faces. I've been trying some similar things with my own work. I just keep coming back to the more emotive nature of the "liquid metal" approach (which I've never seen as liquid metal but as some sort of combination of metallic cells bonded with a softer cellular bond to make a flexible, yet durable metal-like "skin". If you think of TFs as living biological organisms with cells like every other living thing we know of [just metallic ones], then it makes sense).

I think that it might have worked for the movie, but in a comic book all the extra lines just make the faces look too busy and cluttered, not to mention skeletal. Which (as was stated before) is cool for bad guys like Bludgeon, but not good for the good guys. Especially if you want a human reader to identify emotionally with the characters. Judge for yourself:

That image really drives the point home.