Minor heads up. It's getting close to November when I usually do my annual G1 Transformers marathon. This year I'll be hosting some guests the first week of the month and coupled with a fairly busy schedule, it'll be tricky to commit much time to the marathon in just one month let alone the two weeks before turkey day. So I ask you, friends and acquaintances who like to join me during the shenanigans, what you think would be the best approach for this year. Bear in mind the goal every year is to watch all of it but we AT LEAST need to get to Transformers: The Movie. Here are the options as I see them without putting much thought in.

-Do the thing that rampant consumerism has done to the holidays and just kind of meld the last two months of the year into one ongoing blur of a thing. Start the marathon in November and carry on as far into December as necessary.

-Bypass November completely and hold the marathon in December with some new festive title and hope people aren't too busy to catch it. Merry Opti-mas? Happy Megatronukkah? I dunno.

I'm open to other suggestions but I really enjoy doing this and it's a very productive time for me anyway with vintage restorations I barely do the rest of the year so I'd love to hear some opinions. Thanks everybody!

I'm still cleaning vintage G1 Transformers and the pile is shrinking pretty fast. I have a list of guys I want to snag. It's always kind of spur of the moment rather than having a priority list. Gonna post the "hit list" here and wanna hear friends suggest one or two you think I should go for first. Yeah, it's a vote. Yeah it's kind of stupid. I thought it could also be a little fun too though.

-Abominus/Terrorcons
-Astrotrain
-Blitzwing
-Chromedome
-Getaway
-Punch/Counterpunch
-Ratchet
-Shockwave
-Snapdragon
-Starscream

I hate them and I believe you should too. Novelty isn't something worth spending money on. I refuse to buy season passes because I refuse to support this pandering bullshit. I yearn for a day when the majority follow my lead but I won't hold my breath.

At the very least I'm not going to announce them anywhere anymore. If you're interested in watching me play something, your best bet is to follow me on twitch and set your alerts to notify you if I go live. If you skip the rest of this journal then that should be the primary takeaway.

I suspect some people may be wondering why this is happening. The long and short of it is the engagement has been kind of depressing many days. I don't stream games to play games so much as I want to socialize with friends and acquaintances. If next to nobody shows up, or worse, people announce they show up and don't engage at all, the whole exercise just ends up feeling pathetic. It's like if you try to throw a party and two people show up. That's a failed party. There's nobody to blame but myself. Either the games I play are too niche or I'm just not very engaging or some combination of other factors. Whatever it is, if I just stream with no expectation of anybody showing up, assuming I stream at all anymore, I think I'll be less likely to be frustrated or depressed by poor turnout and/or engagement with the chat. This isn't an income source for me. I did game streams with the intent of having fun with others. That fun has been pretty inconsistent for a while now.

I'll say this much, a piece of advice for absolutely everybody who has ever said "I don't really have anything to add". Here's a tip. If you ever want to be part of a conversation but don't feel like you can contribute to it, there's a very easy way to turn that around. All you have to do is ask questions. Shocker, but people tend to be enthusiastic about the various things they're knowledgeable about and enjoy discussing. That usually means they're excited to share more about those things to people who are curious and want to know more. Feel you can't contribute? Ask stuff! Enthusiasts will often leap at a chance to share! But be at least somewhat genuine in the curiosity. Ask honest questions. Apathetic questions are easy to feel and if you aren't invested enough in the whole interacting with people thing to actually give enough of a damn to learn more about the conversation, are you really all that interested in the interaction to begin with? Just a side thing I wanted to address because WAY too often I've tried to get people talking in my chats only to be replied to with "I don't really have anything to add".

A general question for anybody willing to volunteer information. After going to MFF this year I kind of realized my complete lack of talent meant if I wanted to have more fun with the general crowd, I REALLY need to get a fursuit. It's been on the radar for a while but the recent experience has left me feeling I should expedite the venture. I suppose if it helps I can sort of lay out what I'm thinking as the traits.

Suit Ideas
- I'm primarily considering a partial from the waist above at least plus a tail. I want to still be able to wear clothing and accessorize. Dress up a bit for the part.
- I want to have VERY large curves. Not hyper, but large enough to be major attention grabbers. If possible, showing cleavage would be nice.
- Since my sona is draconic, I'd prefer a fabric that isn't super fuzzy. I was thinking a surface more akin to like a Muppet texture.

So I guess I'm curious if anybody has any wisdom to impart. For example, lists of known and reliable suit-makers in the United States would be wonderful. Firsthand experience on what to look for and what to avoid are nice. I already have a grounded expectation of the cost and wait time I think. This may also sound ridiculous but I'm also particularly concerned about the chest aspect. I've seen some suits where they look less like anatomy and more like large pillows just put there. Is it horribly unconventional/implausible to get a torso piece tailored to go on top of something like a breast-form and still have the correct anatomical appearance? Are there good alternatives to breast forms?

I know it's kind of a scattershot inquiry to blast out there and my "audience" is small. It's kind of grasping for straws but if it gets me answers and better sense of direction along with my attempts at researching online, what's the harm?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

There's something I've seen on websites like this before. It's a phenomenon I mostly hate: nuking the gallery or just wiping the whole slate clean without a peep. It mostly gets me rolling my eyes as a big, fat, passive aggressive "everybody look at me" sign. It usually comes off as dumb and juvenile and just irritates me more than anything. Like I said, it's a phenomenon I mostly hate but on some level, I can understand it in a very specific sort of mindset.

"Why bother?"

It's honestly a mindset I've had many, many times. For a few weeks now I've thought about writing a lengthy journal about the commercial challenges of western comics but I haven't pulled the trigger yet. Why bother? I've been tempted to nuke my journal entries often enough. If you're in the mindset that what you produce isn't very valuable, then I can understand the temptation to just wipe your slate clean. In a way it's a fresh start or at least a way to get rid of a bunch of chaff. If you aren't satisfied with your output then why would you want your legacy to be a theoretical mound of garbage? Maybe this was the mindset of all those previous instances of nuked galleries. Maybe it wasn't. I value honesty and forthrightness so I always figured a person who wasn't begging for attention would be open as to why they're doing something that would doubtless be perceived as a dramatic act. I've been wrong before though.

I'm self aware enough to realize that this journal in and of itself is a cry of attention of sorts but I'm also putting it out to explain preemptively if my page gets a little more lean in the future. That, I feel, makes this whole exercise at least marginally more dignified. However the bottom line is I just don't create anything worthwhile. So I posted some small essays in journals where I actually tried. Well lah-de-dah, would you look at the water drop in the ocean. Some I'm proud of. The rest I'm not so sure. I'm certainly not proud of the one you're reading right now for those rare few who actually do read what I post. The irony isn't lost on me that a pathetic bout of nihilistic navel-gazing is what got me to actually commit something to print. I'll probably delete it later anyways. I used to think there was some value in at least standing by what you've done in the past but now I'm thinking most of it was so irrelevant that acknowledging it is equally pointless.

I'm just tired of what feels like pretending any material, quantifiable thing I can put out there has any value.

Comments will be left open, preferably for anybody with life experience and maybe some wisdom to impart on coping with this mindset. Despite appearances I'm not farming for pity with this.

Since the Thanksformers marathon is finished, I thought I'd ramble a little bit for those who care. One of the best things about Transformers as a franchise is the monumental cast of characters. Only a small handful get any real chance to shine but thanks to the toys, the comics, and the tech specs, each and every individual has some nugget of personality or reason for people to latch on to them. I've seen some people love characters just for the toys or even just because of what people pretend an underexposed character is like in their head thanks to their imagination. I think it's so wonderful that canon interpretation, imagination and pure childhood nostalgia are are equally valid reasons to love these guys and ad part of the magic of transformers is the hearing various stories and reasons people love the characters they do, among other things.

Well, I felt like indulging myself and chatting a bit about my ten all time favorite Transformers, sticking exclusively to the G1 umbrella because that's my jam. Also, yes, ten because while I certainly love more than that, ten in mentally satisfying and these guys are pretty much concrete. There's a couple fun little nuggets of info to consider here. First of all, this list isn't really in any particular order other than the first four I mention. The initial quartet are a rock solid cut above the rest in my mind for reasons I'll explain, with the first one being my all time fave Transformer without reservation. The remaining six is a much more fluid batch without anybody really having precedence over others. Secondly, It's a personal goal as a fan and collector to acquire the original vintage G1 toys of all of these. Some I've got, others I don't. Just for giggles I'm going to mention which ones I have or not and which version I have my hoarding peepers on one way or the other. So, without further ado, brace yourself for a friggin' essay and let's go down the list!

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Ultra Magnus
G1 Toy: Acquired - Plastic Tires version, Unacquired - Rubber Tires version (yes I want both =P)
I've never seen a Transformer this awesome in the entire galaxy! All right, gimme the bomb. All joking aside, Ultra Magnus is my guy. I've loved him since I was a wee draggy only 3 or 4 years old when I fell in love with an incomplete, handed down toy I got from a cousin. He was missing a lot of pieces but I thought he was so cool and played with him more than any other guy in my collection. That love starting with the toy only grew more as I saw the movie, watched the cartoon, and read the comics, especially in my teens upwards when I finally got the pleasure to enjoy some of the UK material. Ultra Magnus embodies heroism and Autobot virtue. He's courageous, selfless, and unwavering in his resolve always willing to throw himself into the fray and take his licks a long as he has to to save the day when the proverbial slag hits the fan. Yet in spite of that, his personality has juuuuuust enough wrinkles to make him especially endearing in my eyes. He's a bit of a stick in the mud which is a trait I always loved in leader types because I find something interesting about the guy who forgoes glory, ego or shenanigans in lieu of getting shit done. Also neat to me is how in spite of Magnus' apparent leadership qualities, due to excessive modesty or maybe even insecurity, he views himself as a soldier first and foremost and is more comfortable taking order than giving them himself. He doesn't dwell on that though. Rather than piss and moan about the yoke of leadership he'd rather just go on doing his duty. Toy wise Ultra Magnus is pretty great when the designers remember Magnus isn't just a white Optimus Prime. His original toy basically took an awesome toy to begin with (Optimus Prime) and made it better by having his trailer turn into a friggin' suit of power armor instead of just a base. After that it's mostly just been a lot of recolored Optimus toys but thankfully that's changed! It's been a long time coming but recent toys have returned to the suit concept in a glorious way and I love them almost as much as the original.

Now, if his toy and cartoon appearances put him in my top spot, comic portrayals shot him into the stratosphere. IDW's recent "More Than Meets the Eye/Lost Light saga does a few interesting and tremendously entertaining things with Magnus. To start, in these books the war is over and Magnus is having significant difficulty adjusting to peace time, compensating by becoming hilariously serious and anal retentive about rules and regulations, leading to terrific comic relief while still having wonderful, heroic moments when he can unwind a bit. Even better is a plot twist so clever that saying anything about it other than the fact it exists would be a tremendous disservice. Even better than his IDW portrayal however is how he was written in Europe during the 80s. Within the last two decades I've had the pleasure of finally reading the lauded Marvel UK Transformers comics Where Magnus got some serious love, beginning in a wonderful story called Target: 2006, where he gets in an amazing slug-fest with an incredibly powerful Galvatron which he loses. This starts an ongoing pattern of Magnus having run-ins with the deranged Decepticon and always losing but doing better each time. One of my most outstanding memories is how Magnus' second disastrous fight with Galvatron left him traumatized and terrified of his adversary. A third run in with the villain had him on the verge of an emotional breakdown, paralyzed by fear...until he saw some of his compatriots in serious dander of being killed by Galvatron. At that point he put aside the fear, threw himself into the fray and gave Galvatron the biggest ass kicking he was capable of dishing out, like a goddamn hero. Really, that's the core of why I love Magnus so much. No matter the situation, no matter the odds, he'll step up. He may not be the strongest, he may be scared shitless, and he may not survive the fight, but he's tough as nails and so long as lives are on the line, so long as there's something or somebody to save, Ultra Magnus will get out there and hold the line. If that isn't courage and heroism personified, I'm not sure I know what is. Magnus is just the coolest.

Ratchet
G1 Toy: Unacquired - 1984 Pre-Rubsign
Ratchet has very nearly been a staple of the Transformers brand since the beginning. He may not be as iconic as Optimus or Starscream but make no mistake, where there's a new Transformers series, there's going to be a Ratchet. It's a good thing too because unlike many characters on this list where I only prefer one or two interpretations of them, almost every iteration of the Autobot medic has something to like. What's also interesting though is how the character has evolved over the years. Every new take seems to take something that worked before and builds on it. Though I do think special mention should go to his original portrayal in the Marvel comics which was absolutely brilliant. Early on, Ratchet was the last Autobot standing after Shockwave decimated the heroes and took over leadership of the Decepticons. He knew he had to save his companions but at this point Ratchet was fairly timid and entirely non-combative being a medic and all. Rather than a guns blazing solution, Ratchet enacted a plan that involved forging a tenuous alliance with the deposed Megatron, enlisting help from the Dinobots, and cleverly covering his bases for when the tyrant when he inevitably goes back on their deal. By the end of it all, the Autobots were rescued and well on their way to being restored, all thanks to a humble medic who won the day not through physical force, but through cunning, guile, and force of will. It wouldn't be the last time either. Several times throughout the series Ratchet would end up taking the initiative and using his brains to best the villains which is something I always love. An action-packed brawl is fun of course, but I find something slightly more engaging about a hero who perseveres and overcomes adversity through cleverness and Ratchet in Marvel is definitely that hero.

It isn't just the Marvel version worth noting though. Transformers Animated basically turned Ratchet into another version of Kup, the grizzled old war veteran. I didn't like this version much though it was good in its own way. However it set the stage for the stellar portrayal of Ratchet in Transformers Prime. This version really stands out in part to a stellar performance by Jeffrey Combs who brings the character to life. Prime Ratchet is still a bit of a grump like the Animated version yet he's also snarky, he has a biting dry wit and a certain degree of arrogance he learns to overcome in time which makes for a great character arc. He's just an engaging and wonderfully well rounded character. Modern IDW comics take this foundation and tweak it a bit more to great effect. This Ratchet is still a dry, deadpan snarker only this time he's unflappable and world-weary. He's seen so much horror in his time that nothing shakes him up anymore. In spite of this he's still tremendously compassionate and as much as he may gripe about things that frustrate him, saving lives, ALL lives, is his number one priority. A great example that comes to mind is an issue when an obscenely powerful Decepticon called Overlord is roaming free in the ship. At the time,alarms are blaring and people aren't sure why. When Ratchet is asking Hot Rod over the com system what's up, Overlord sneaks into the med-bay behind him. Ratchet gets a sense something is wrong and without missing a beat, grabs a gun off his tray and nails Overlord in the forehead. Then without even flinching tells Hot Rod to get down there asap and if he's dead, to give his hands to a patient of his that doesn't actually have hands. Stone...cold...badass. He's fully expecting to die withing the next few seconds and has this demeanor of "Welp, another day, same old crap.". I love it. In most incarnations Ratchet is rarely the strongest Autobot but he's always an incredibly compassionate one with the grit and perseverance to protect life. That later incarnations like to juxtapose this compassion with cynicism has only made him more engaging as far as I'm concerned. Either way you slice it, Ratchet is a hero.

Shockwave
G1 Toy: Unacquired
If one is to make a list of favorite Transformers, it would be logical to include Shockwave. Okay, now that the obvious joke is out of the way I'm happy to explain why this guy is so rad. The long and short of it is as a villain, written correctly, Shockwave is absolutely terrifying. He's utterly remorseless, his defining characteristic in virtually all his portrayals being a strict adherence to logic in and cold lack of emotion. He is functionally an evil Mr. Spock. His look only amplifies this frigid demeanor with his body being almost entirely purple and dark chrome and his face being nothing but a single, unexpressive eye, never blinking. The face is the real crux of it all. It's so different and yet does such a fantastic job of making him feel alien and to somewhat unknowable, more so than his fellow Decepticons anyway. He looks awesome and practically bleeds intimidation albeit in a way that is starkly different from other big-name Decepticons. Now, while I mentioned Shockwave's core characterization across almost all media is largely consistent, it's application tends to vary quite a bit. I mention this because the portrayal that cemented Shockwave among my absolute favorites was his portrayal in Marvel comics. In the cartoon he was pretty cool on the rare occasions he showed but he certainly wasn't anything special. He was just a very loyal lieutenant for Megatron. I'll give the cartoon portrayal major props for one big thing though. Thanks to Corey Burton's performance as him in the cartoon, I'm now of the firm opinion that Shockwave should always sound like David Warner. Anyway, while cartoon Shockwave may have been a neat if not terribly impressive guy, Marvel comics Shockwave is an absolute beast. It may come as a surprise but when I think of Decepticon leadership, I think of Shockwave before Megatron because of his frequent usurping of the mantle. The most badass example of this would be his debut. The first four issues of the Marvel Transformers comic played out like a standard heroes vs. villains set-up. The stage was set for Autobots and Decepticons to face off, the two factions go at it for a bit, it's all very classic comic stuff. At the end of it all, the heroes prevail, overcoming the odds and all is well...until a fresh Shockwave flies out of nowhere and utterly decimates the remaining heroes. Originally the Transformers comic was only going to be a 4-issue mini but it sold so well they basically had Shockwave show up at the finale to go "No! This book isn't ending on MY watch!".

Thus begins Transformers #5 which has one of the best comic covers ever. In this issue Shockwave establishes himself as the leader of the Decepticons, taking charge and applying logic to get the army to act as efficiently as possibly. When a recuperating Megatron starts a fight with the usurper, Shockwave affirms his authority by ruthlessly beating the ever-living slag out of Megatron to put him in his place. When Megatron can't stand the humiliation any longer and begs for death, Shockwave flatly refuses him stating that, for the time being, Megatron is more useful alive than dead. The best part of all of this is that Shockwave didn't take the reins out of any personal ambition of lust for power. He did so because he simply believed Megatron was doing a poor job and he was the most logical candidate for the job. He wasn't exactly wrong either. Through his brutal application of logic, Shockwave hammered his troops into a highly efficient army and almost always willing to get his hands dirty to further the Decepticon cause. He was always willing to fight with anybody. After all, it would be illogical not to apply his profound strength in combat. Also wonderful are the rare occasions he has a mental breakdown and his logic fails him. Under such circumstances he tends to become a single minded engine of hate and rage that just wants to obliterate everything in sight. It helps to add depth to his as well, making us as readers wonder if he really is as emotionless as he likes to act. Modern comics gave him a fascinating history which I adore but also have a bad tendency to try and portray him as a long term planner and a scientist rather than a military commander. This never quite did it for me. Shockwave is always intelligent and him being a scientist isn't too far out of left field but the reason Marvel Shockwave clicked so much was because he was all about ruthless efficiency. He was more than willing and capable of planning ahead but it was in a more pragmatic, realistic way rather than being this brilliant chess master villain. Regardless, while not ideal, it doesn't undermine the core of what I love about Shockwave. He's an intelligent, sane, and highly imposing villain who can throw down with the best but sets himself apart from the egotistical tyrants and raving madmen who would be leaders by merit of his cold, dispassionate approach to command and utter lack of empathy. Such a unique and impactful surely is deserving of recognition. It's only logical.

Soundwave
G1 Toy: Unacquired - 1984 Pre-Rubsign
If ever there was a character who's memorable and beloved just by merit of bleeding style and being impossibly cool, it's Soundwave. Lets not kid ourselves, Soundwave is best known by a long shot for his portrayal in the cartoon where he was nearly devoid of any personality at all. That didn't matter though because he had that awesome robot voice, he looked cool, and he turned into a tape deck that launched tapes that turned into tiny robots and that's awesome. Most of that translated over to his toy from the 80s. Soundwave's original toy absolutely has to be one of the greatest Transformers ever released. It looked great, it's fun to transform and play with, batteries becoming weapons and actually making him able to store his robot minions in his chest after they turn into tapes is so cool for a toy. The toy holds up remarkably well as I'm sure its multiple re-releases can attest. Soundwave's whole tape deck gimmick is so central to his aesthetic that as far as I'm concerned, any rare interpretation that doesn't pay adequate homage to it is a failure. It doesn't matter if it's anachronistic, it's a huge part of what makes Soundwave so unique and cool. Now, all of this by itself would be enough to secure him in anybody's top Transformers list, mine included. There's no fault in that mind you. Even with next to no personality, Soundwave is just too stylish not to love. However I have the added benefit of seeing what he was like in Marvel comics, the UK ones especially. I didn't get to enjoy these stories until much later but I'm glad I did eventually because Soundwave shines in those books. I mean, he answered the letters page, dismissing human readers asking questions and casting shade on Autobots. It's clear the UK guys had a lot of fun with him.

First let me preface before going into older Marvel comic material that I despise what modern modern comics have tried doing with Soundwave. In a nutshell they've tried to give him a tragic backstory and make him a firm and loyal believer in the Decepticon cause. It's all in an attempt to make him more sympathetic and I hate it because the Soundwave I like is an absolute bastard! Soundwave in Marvel comics gave us more insight into this guy and what we got was terrific. Soundwave in this continuity is passively into the Decepticon cause but it comes off more as a means to an end because all he cares about is himself. Like many Decepticons he's hungry for power but unlike most of his compatriots he is extremely savvy and pragmatic about it. Though ostensibly just the chief of communications, Soundwave is an extremely competent soldier and functionally a lieutenant. Very often when he's sent on a mission he actually succeeds. He worked very hard to get to that position and aims to keep it but not go any higher. During transitional periods, Soundwave would fill the spot until another candidate arrived and filled the leadership position. Soundwave never wanted it because he knew if he were leader he's have subordinates gunning for him. Much better to fly under the radar as a second in command where he still has significant authority but it largely left to his own devices. He also apparently has a serious penchant for blackmail, all the more reason for others not to cross him. It's pretty brilliant. Underlings don't cross him because he could easily ruin them and leaders have no real reason to act against him because while his loyalty to others may be suspect, they know he'll do his job well so long as they let him keep his position in the ranks. He's not afraid to exploit that position either. Just because he's a good lieutenant doesn't make him any less of a bastard. I read about a story I have yet to enjoy myself wherein Megatron wants Soundwave to weed out a mole who'd relaying info to Shockwave. Turns out the mole is Soundwave and he ends up spending the issue setting up one of the Stunticons as a fall guy while he gets away scot free. Soundwave is just so great on so many levels. He's an incredible design just oozing awesomeness who happens to have surprising depth and complexity if you look in the right places. Soundwave superior!

Perceptor
G1 Toy: Acquired
When it comes to fiction, I love a good smart guy. Reed Richards and Hank McCoy are all fine examples. There's something so enormously fun to me about a guy on a team who's just so friggin' smart and knows it. Bonus point if they like to use extremely elaborate verbiage. It's cliche, but it's a fun character archetype and in the Transformers franchise, Perceptor checks both those boxes. He was established pretty early in the second season of the 80s cartoon as being the team's resident scientist, even getting his own focus episode where he demonstrates to skeptical meathead Brawn that preferring to use one's brains doesn't make a soldier any less brave. Worth noting is that he survived the culling in the movie and endured well into season 3 so we got Perceptor for quite some time and I'm glad we did. He was never really a major player but that's one of the charms of Transformers. You have a core handful of primary characters and a veritable truck load of tertiary and supporting characters who never change too much but that's fine because they add variety and flavor to the cast and you like them just the way they are.

It's worth noting that IDW recently has added a tremendously enjoyable twist to him. While Perceptor is content to stick to being the science expert he at one point thought it would be worth modifying himself to be more useful in combat. Maybe it's because he turns into a microscope but he decided to focus on precision and has become one hell of a sharpshooter and the Autobot's sniper par excellence. It's a clever way to expand his role and I like it quite a bit. That brings up another aspect about him I love, that being his alternate mode. Perceptor turns into a microscope. I really like the occasional bot that turns into something utilitarian rather than a vehicle. It's a fun change of pace and results in some pretty great results. Soundwave's tape deck form is cool for example. Perceptor's microscope form is also terrific. The original toy was excellent, having an actual lens which actually magnified a bit and a robot mode with impressive articulation for its time. I can't really go into as much detail about characterization with Perceptor. He has been almost entirely unchanged for his entire existence and I wouldn't have it any other way. He's a wonderfully fun science guy with some awesome toys and awesome moments of heroism.

Brainstorm
G1 Toy: Unacquired
Brainstorm is a much more recent fave of mine. Don't get me wrong, I've always had a soft spot for the guy. Like Magnus, he was one of several G1 toys handed down to me from a cousin and certainly one of my favorites. He unfortunately was missing his head and his guns but I remember a certain degree of wonderment when the Headmaster gimmick was explained to me when I asked what the weird gauge thing in his chest. I still think the Headmaster is a cool feature for a toy and based on Hasbro releasing a whole new line of them not long ago, it doesn't seem I'm alone in that opinion. In spite of missing all his pieces he still was among my favorite of the old toys I had. Not as high as Magnus obviously, but he was up there. I always liked his bright teal color and he turned into an awesome looking space ship. I've always likes space stuff and sci-fi but back then I had that fanatical love only a child can really have and Brainstorm was the only Transformer I had that turned into a space craft of any kind. I remember sometimes I tried hanging him from stuff on string to make it look like he was flying. There's a fondness to those simple memories. In retrospect he was pretty good from an articulation standpoint too. Sadly I lost my old one during a move and wanted to replace him since then, especially since his modern portrayals in comics have made him so much more memorable. If I had made this list about ten years ago I'm fairly certain Brainstorm wouldn't have made the cut. As much as I love the toy, Brainstorm as a character simply hasn't much of a presence in the media until very recently. He only appeared briefly in the very end of the US cartoon, I never saw the Japanese Headmasters cartoon and his Marvel comic appearances were fleeting to say the least. All the personality I ever associated with him came from his tech spec where he was described as an enthusiastic and frenetic idea guy. Not really a standout personality to me. Oh but then IDW's "More Than Meets the Eye comic was released and writer James Roberts got elevated Brainstorm into something glorious.

As I mentioned with Perceptor, I love a good science guy in fiction. IDW Brainstorm is another such character but whereas Perceptor is the morally upstanding, pragmatic science guy, Brainstorm is the morally dubious fringe science guy, the Lex Luthor to Perceptor's Reed Richards if you will. He's egocentric in the extreme, largely lacking in empathy, somewhat cowardly, and treats science more as a plaything fir his own jollies than anything else. He has a particular fondness for making weaponry that can kill in all sorts of new and interesting ways. For example, he made what was basically a gun for children called "My First Blaster" (Big Grip for Little Hands), a weapon with bright colors and lights, an orange cap for safety reasons. Yet it's still capable of blowing somebody's head of and offers jolly words of encouragement while trying to kill with it. There's also his Early Early Warning system which is basically a meta-alarm. Basically Brainstorm is a veritable wellspring of dark comedy and a joy to watch in action in modern comics thanks to his colossal narcissism and gleeful excursions into the realm of wacky fringe science. Honestly, he displays a lot of typically villainous traits yet he has enough depth to avoid being a one trick comedic pony. What friends he has he's very devoted too and the motivations behind some of his mad science is actually really tragic and compelling. He's interesting beyond being a mad scientist and I just adore it. Brainstorm is a fantastic example of what Transformers offers to a creator with ambition. So many of these characters have been ignored or underutilized and are just begging for somebody to fill that void define them more thoroughly. Brainstorm is so much more than he used to be now.

Cyclonus
G1 Toy: Unacquired - Blue paint on ears
One wouldn't expect much in the way of character depth in 30 minute commercial meant to sell toys and yet in proud defiance of such expectations stands Cyclonus. He's not a character exclusive to the cartoon by any means and while I later later portrayals of him, the cartoon was my first and most impactful exposure to this mighty warrior. By far one of the best things about the uneven Season 3 of the 80s cartoon, Cyclonus is an interesting creature among fellow Decepticons and even 80s cartoon villains in that he's a bit more complex than the norm and displays some admirable, some may even say noble qualities. While a firm believer in the Decepticon goal of galactic conquest, Cyclonus nonetheless seems to adhere to a personal code of conduct. I wouldn't call it honor necessarily. It's different in a way I'm not sure how to articulate. More notable though is his total and unwavering loyalty to Galvatron. Though he's aware of his leader's instability, Cyclonus nevertheless seemed to believe with utmost conviction that Galvatron's strength and leadership were the key to Decepticon victory. To that end he often acted as an intermediary, try to curb his leader's mania, keep him focused and even trying to assuage the troops frustrations when Galvatron was acting especially loopy. Some of my favorite Season 3 episodes did a great job displaying these qualities. The Killing Jae saw Ultra Magnus and Cyclonus kidnapped by Quintessons. Though mortal enemies, the two were able to put aside differences for the sake of sticking it to their captors and at one point when Magnus would have died in the void of space, Cyclonus rescued him, stating he did so out of a belief that warriors such as them should die in battle. Be episode's end the two still dislike each other, but parted ways with a mutual, albeit grudging respect for each other as soldiers in a war. My favorite episode of the season, Webworld, has Galvatron's madness wearing so thin on his troops they threaten revolt, demanding something be done about it. This results in Cyclnous tricking Galvatron into going to a planet that's basically a giant mental hospital. Throughout the episode we see him express concern for his leader and inquiries about his progress and eventually, his attempts to save Galvatron when the planet's orderlies decide a lobotomy is the only solution left to treat the mad Decepticon. You get the sense all of this was done out of a genuine sense of caring and it's a fascinating trait in a villain, especially one on the team of habitual back-stabbers. The cherry on top of the sundae is that Cyclonus looks and sounds so goddamn cool. He might just be the slickest looking bot on the whole show regardless of which form he's in and major props to Roger C. Carmel whose performance as Cyclonus was a serious show highlight for me. He sounded so deep and menacing yet did such a great job conveying that warrior nobility and also his frustrations when things got hairy.

Marvel comics was actually rather lacking in their portrayal of ol' bunny ears, portraying him as little more than dumb muscle and not even a very loyal goon if that. Thankfully, the later IDW incarnation is much better. IDW Cyclonus is extremely old, coming from a time well before the war, before there even were Autobots and Decepticons. Ardently proud of his planet and his heritage, this version of Cyclonus joined an intergalactic expedition to help expand Cybertronian society only for him and his compatriots to get lost in an alternate dimension for millions of years. Time and an attack on his beloved home planet by his once allies would leave him disillusioned and searching for new meaning. He ends up exploring this new galaxy with a ragtag band of misfits. This Cyclonus is still very much the warrior but, because of how old he is, he is extremely traditionalist. He takes great pride in the fact he is Cybertronian and is enormously bitter towards the newer generations of Cybertronians for what he views as having ruined the glory and splendor of his home. His age isn't played up for laughs. If anything his portrayal is more akin to Captain America. He's shown as a man out of time trying to find his place in a new world that has changed dramatically. Though deliberately stoic, he's very passionate but because of his conservative values, he believes in keeping all his emotions bottled up to himself. This makes his attempts and relating to other clumsy and awkward yet they're utterly earnest. It makes the bonds he forges some of the most interesting and compelling because we're essentially watching him learn to find a place for himself in this new world. This version of Cyclonus is also, like his cartoon counterpart, a roaring badass, utterly unflappable in the face of adversity. It's a different portrayal to be sure and while I don't like it quite as much as the original, it's still very much a great character in its own right. Perhaps while the specifics are different it still retains the core of what makes Cyclonus so awesome and memorable to me, that being his warrior nobility and his unwavering conviction in his beliefs. Ostensibly a villain, Cyclonus is a character that believes in something bigger than himself that's worth fighting for. It may not always be a good thing he fights for but even so, that sort of uncynical commitment to a cause is a cool thing to see in a character and defiitely not something you see often in bad guys which only makes Cyclonus all the more memorable.

Doubledealer
G1 Toy: Acquired
Now here's one I love almost 100% due to the toy and what I imagined him being like, because, truth is, Doubledealer has had next to no exposure in any of the Transformers various other media excursions. For a long time it was just the tech-spec which portrayed him as an unaligned and unscrupulous mercenary and this was the foundation of his character in my mind. Outside of that, as I understand, he was an antagonist in the Japanese Masterforce cartoon which I never saw, and he had a brief stint in IDW's troubled run by Simon Furman where he was portrayed as a fairly bog standard double agent for the Decepticons which ran contrary to how I perceived him. His tech-spec basically portrayed as a hired gun who fights for anybody willing to pay him. Later info books would expand this to the point where he even maintains two separate public identities, one for each faction, to hide the fact he plays both sides and only really is concerned with getting paid at the end of the day. I thought this was even cooler! I mean, for the most part a personality like this would fit Decepticons like a glove but here was a guy they went out of their way to mention wasn't interested in taking sides on any permanent basis. In my mind this basically turned Doubledealer into a Transformers equivalent of Taskmaster from Marvel comics and I friggin' LOVE Taskmaster.

However, like I said earlier, it's the toy that really won me over. I'd known about the toy since the 90s and wanted him so bad. By that time though G1 was past it's heyday and getting toys from the 80s wasn't a tricky proposition. Still though, I knew I wanted DD the moment I saw him. He's a triple changer which are almost universally awesome to some degree by default and this wasn't just a bot with two vehicle modes. Doubledealer had THREE distinct forms: A humanoid robot, a vehicle mode, and a beast mode. I loved all three. The vehicle mode is a weapons launcher platform which is an archetype I always love to see because it's an unconventional vehicle to transform into and it seems a bit uncommon so there's novelty. The fact DD happens to be a launch platform for a friggin' ICBM is especially noteworthy. I can't think of more than maybe one other Transformers that ever did that. The Robo-vulture looks wonderfully predatory and I think his robot mode cuts a striking silhouette with a really neat face design. Even better was his transformation gimmick. For those who don't know, in the mid to late 80s, Transformers tried to spice up the who changing robots things by adding little twists and gimmicks to the toys. One of these, and one of the two I really like, were Powermasters. Basically the bot has a tiny companion who would transform into an engine which you then plug in to the vehicle to unlock it's transformation into robot. I always thought it was a neat idea and DD made it even cooler by being the only Powermaster with two partners, each one unlocking a different mode. You have all these awesome elements in one toy, I loved the look of with a character I manufactured in my brain to be awesome. I don't know for certain if he'd be top ten material if I never actually got my hands on the toy but eventually I did. I snagged him within the hast half-decade, gave him a good cleaning and shiny new stickers and he's every bit as awesome as I hoped. Maybe even a little cooler. That acquiring him fulfilled one of those old childhood hopes makes having him even better.

Springer
G1 Toy: Acquired - Die-cast metal chest
I've noticed Transformers fans have sometimes drawn parallels between Transformers The Movie and Star Wars: A New Hope. I can see it, especially when comparing characters. For example, Hot Rod is very much a brash heroic youth in the same vein as Luke Skywalker. If Hot Rod is Luke than Springer is Han Solo. He's the sort of dashing, roguish hero who approaches adversity with a smirk and a quip. I really liked him in the movie because he had this great sort of charming sarcasm you really got a sense of in just about every scene he was in. His appearances in other media is a bit scattershot but generally his characterization is very consistent which is a hell of a rarity for this franchise so that's also appreciated. On top of being a good old fashioned adventure hero, Springer has serious badass credentials as the de-facto leader of the Wreckers when Impactor isn't dead or in jail. For those who don't know, the Wreckers are an Autobot special task force of hard bastards who basically are sent exclusively on suicide missions with guns blazing and still saving the day. There's an unfortunate trend of members being morally dubious if not flat out insane. That Springer is a mentally stable and morally upstanding dude who can keep the ragtag team functional and focused speaks volumes to just how awesome a leader he is.

Other than that I always thought Springer had a really striking appearance. That much green isn't a common color to see on any bot from either side and it pairs really well with the yellow to make him visually pop. He has an awesome head crest and of course, Springer is a triple changer. If Doubledealer above didn't clue you in, I LOVE triple changers, regardless of how ridiculous the modes end up looking. Springer certainly doesn't come out as one of the best. His modes are a futuristic helicopter and an armored car that looks a hell of a lot like a helicopter. I'm sure turning a humanoid robot into a helicopter poses some engineering challenges so throwing "car" into the mix only makes it worse. Still, I think copter modes are sweet and an Autobot that can turn into a helicopter as well as a car is just awesome conceptually. Ironically I hate it when a Springer toy is released and it's just a recolored helicopter bot. To me Springer HAS to be helicopter/car. I don't care how cruddy the car is, it has to be there! Thankfully, Hasbro demonstrated in 2013 that you can actually engineer a toy that does both competently. Thrilling 30 Springer is quite possibly the best Transformer I've bought in the last decade. I hope there's mor excellent Springer toys in the future, official, third party or otherwise.

Swindle
G1 Toy: Acquired - Die-cast metal chest (I have all the Combaticons of this type)
Decepticons have historically been a pretty straightforward band of villains. Not counting IDW's rather fascinating take of them being well-intentioned extremists who took things way too far, the Decpticons have pretty much always been an evil band on conquerors composed of would-be tyrants, ruthless psychotics, and good old fashioned thugs. That's one of the big reasons I love Swindle because he's such a departure from the norm. Swindle is a hustler, not so much a villain so much as just an opportunistic asshole and I love that about him. He doesn't give a crap about the war or who wins. He just wants to make some cash! Now, the Autobots aren't just a bunch of boy scouts, they have some unsavory characters in their ranks, but I always chalked up the reason Swindle is on the side of the 'Cons is because they're probably more tolerant of one of their soldiers being a black market dealer. In comic appearances he's usually talking about making deals and rambling about resale value and bids and what have you. He's such a wonderfully unscrupulous con-man. The guy even had the bearings to try and pinch Galvatron for some extra scratch after getting an item he was ordered to get to begin with!

Swindle is of course a member of a combiner team and I honestly feel that Transformers on these teams are in part defined by being part of these sub groups. I suppose the best way I can explain it is comparing it to super hero teams. Somebody may love Ben Grimm or Jean Grey and while these are fine characters in their own right, they're also important parts of the Fantastic Four and the X-men. They bring character to the team and the team colors their characterization. I say this because Swindle is one of the Combaticons who are far and away my favorite combiner team. Bruticus is awesome and I love the coherent military theme among all the members. They ust seemed so competent and worked together pretty well. Almost as if in testament to how awesome they are, a good chunk of the Fall of Cybertron game had a series of missions featuring them doing special ops to foil an Autobot plan, and salvaging a mission Starscream very nearly botched. They They bantered and snarked wit each other exactly how I imagined these guys would. Also, in my mind I like to imagine the Combaticons as basically being the A-Team for the Decepticons. They're a special forces unit, in the cartoon they were imprisoned (for reasons I forget), and you can even do one-to-one parallels to A-Team characters. Swindle is totally Face, the smooth talking con-man who gets what they may need thanks to his silver tongue. A little bit of a mental fan-fiction I confess, but it's why I love Swindle. He's a great member of an ensemble and a stellar character in his own right.

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Now I know there's probably a few of what you guys may think are glaring omissions. If you wanna pick my brain as to why some choice characters aren't in this list, feel free to ask in the comments. Outside of that I'd love to hear you guys list off your top ten favorites!

Mostly just taking a moment to give a shout-out to the Man of Steel for hitting one hell of a comic publishing milestone. Action Comics #1 was released exactly 80 years ago on April 18, 1938 and was the debut of Superman. Today Action Comics #1000 was released. It's a hell of a number to reach and I just wanted publicly tip my hat for the occasion. People too often dismiss Superman as a bland, boy scout but I like to think that his longevity, is indicative that as jaded and cynical people may get, there's something that still resonates about just a straight up nice guy who just wants to help out and make the world a better place.

Here's to many, many more years or saving the day Superman. You're one of the all time greats. <3

https://youtu.be/e9vrfEoc8_g

Just a fun little trip down memory lane. Was thinking about cartoons and how they may have factored into and shaped my personal tastes I express interest in here. Then I remembered this little gem. Pretty sure I already had a growing affinity for expansion (no pun intended) but I'm damn sure this cemented the interest. Fun musical number from a cute movie in either case. Also, I always enjoyed Catherine O'Hara. Very enjoyable actress.

https://youtu.be/9i6ROv1JKfg

"Kid...comics will break your heart."

The above line attributed to the great Jack Kirby has never felt quite so true as it has for a good chunk of 2018 so far for me. In addition to learning of the closure of the comic shop I work at I now learn today that apparently publisher IDW is ending the current Transformers comic continuity they've been building for over a decade. This is presumably to do a reboot and relaunch the brand because relaunches are a "fantastic" way to improve sales. *sarcasm*

This isn't devastating news to me. After all, I've been a fan of the franchise for about as long as I remember and I'm plenty comfortable with multiple continuities. Not to mention it's not like the entire IDW universe has been a non-stop torrent of comic brilliance. I think it may be more due to timing what with comics at large somewhat struggling coupled with the James Roberts books being the most consistently good Transformers comics to come out in a long time. I just know Roberts wanted More Than Meets the Eye to make it to issue #100. That tells me he had more stories he isn't going to get the chance to tell and that...well, it hurts...

As for why this is happening? Who knows? Maybe Hasbro wants a simpler comic line then gels a bit more with toy promotion or something. On the other hand I suspect pitiful sales are another factor. All comics are having a rough time of it and IDW certainly didn't help themselves by making a horrible event called Revolution that relaunched their entire line of Hasbro property comics into one shared universe, an idea everybody I've spoken to thinks is an atrocious idea. Now Transformers and GI Joe are frequently interacting with each other. Also there's a bunch of other guys nobody gives two shits about (Micronauts, Rom, M.A.S.K, Visionaries). I don't exaggerate when I say my shop's pulls for ALL of IDW's licensed comics were absolutely decimated by Revolution.

It's also why I'm annoyed at the prospect of a continuity reboot. Not that IDW hasn't earned one necessarily, it's more that comic fans right now are sick up to their eyeballs of relaunches and numbers I feel illustrate the practice of relaunching hurts business rather than helps in the long run. Just look at Marvel. Speaking of Marvel, when IDW released their quarterly financial report, apparently when trying to explain factors for their pitiful sales they said, "Publishing revenue decreased by ($751,000), principally due to industry cyclical downward pressure driven by market leaders, as well as the timing of significant major brand titles that are expected in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017." which is basically a polite way of saying Marvel comics are a goddamned dumpster fire and we're all feeling the burn. Thanks again Marvel you fucking dickheads!

This isn't like "Bendis shitting on Rich Rider" catastrophic so I don't feel utterly crushed. I just feel like I'm losing something that's been with me for a very long time and that's coupled with not having any idea what's coming next. The next Transformers comic could be fantastic...or maybe not. I really have no idea. I guess I just need to come to terms with the fact I'm losing another thing I love. IDW's current continuity has had some abysmal lows but also some of the highest peaks in the franchise history. It was a very bumpy road, but I'm still sad to see it end. Guess we just can't have nice things.

I may do a journal later talking about some good Transformers comics and other things to check out. I need to spread some love on the off chance somebody is inspired to actually go buy a comic book or two.

Back in 2006 Marvel published Civil War, a big, dumb superhero slugfest that sold itself on the illusion of profundity. So great was the shadow cast by this event that around that time it largely overshadowed another grand story being told at the same time among the stars. A story every bit as epic as it was ambitious.

That story was Annihilation.

The title of this journal is not hyperbole. Thought it didn't get much attention at the time, recent years and perhaps the growing presence of the Guardians of the Galaxy has raised the profile of this space epic. Look at opinions on forums or "Top Comic Event" lists and you're sure to see Annihilation somewhere near the top. Funny thing about this series though it that unless you're willing to settle for digital,it can be a royal pain in the ass to get this story in the first place. Never mind hunting for back issues, collected editions of the story clearly have more demand than supply. Volume 1 in trade paperback and the omnibus sell for obscene prices online.

Here's the good news though. Marvel Previews has a listing for "Annihilation Complete Collection" volumes 1 and 2 as releases in March of this year. I cannot recommend enough that if comics are something you enjoy, you NEED to get this story. If you like space epics, war dramas, science fiction, good storytelling or just the Marvel brand in general, you awe it to yourself to get these books.

Oddly, these books don't appear to be listed on Amazon yet. Still, I'd be remiss if I didn't strongly encourage you to, if able, pre-order this at your nearest local comic shop. By nearest I mean within reason of course. It's been a bumpy couple of years for comic retailers so I know they'll appreciate new business. Here's a site that can help.

https://www.comicshoplocator.com/Home/1/1/57/575

Well, the marathon is over and I was just wondering for those of you who care to reply, who are your favorite Transformers in the series. Feel free to list them in the comments or, if you feel like getting more in depth, writing it on your own journal and linking to it in comments. Just curious. I'll probably do this some time this week for shits and giggles.

And don't feel like it needs to be some arbitrary numbered list. Write down as many or few as you like. Also, don't think that your reasons for faves have to be profound or deep or anything. Everybody loves who they love for various reasons from liking their cartoon/comic characterization, thinking they look cool, liking their toy a lot, having a nostalgic memory or even just having some quirk that makes them endearing. Seriously, far as I'm concerned, any reason you like a character is a good reason.

Have fun with this one sweeties! <3

~The THANKS-FORMERS!~
~Turkey, wine and pie~

So I had this silly little idea. For some reason winter always gets me in an especially receptive mood for Transformers stuff. I get more enthusiastic than I usually do and that's saying something. I think it might have something to do with when I was growing up, Christmas and my birthday are in cold weather months and family knows I love the series so I'd often get a bigger sized Transformer around this time. Bigger than a deluxe or smaller sized one I'd save allowance for anyway. That's probably part of it. So I think this year I'll kind of celebrate! Thanksgiving doesn't really mean much to me as a holiday so instead this year I'll be celebrating...

THANKSFORMERS!

So here's the plan. On weekends at various times I plan to marathon G1 on my laptop and I may just so happen to have livestream going as I do. I plan to start mid or late afternoon. I won't be at the computer commenting or anything like I do in usual streams. Instead I'll likely be gaming or reading or what have you. Chat will still be open though so basically this is an invitation to jump on in and enjoy some nostalgia with other folks I'll probably hop in and out of the text chat from time to time myself. Come and go as you wish! It'll be like a marathon on TV! I hope you guys all stop by and have a good chuckle at this charming piece of 80s nostalgia that's near and dear to my heart.

Also, one last thing. I'll be posting announcements here as a submission image. Just wanted to take a moment and give credit is due, letting you all know the image is a hilarious photoshop job done by that big red sweetheart  Ryuakira so if you get a good chuckle, he's the one who should get your regards.

See you on the weekends! Roll out!

Oh god...get a feeling so complicated.

Just had to post a knee-jerk reaction to this for all my fellow comic reading friends. On one hand this makes me happy and other the other it has me very concerned. Anybody who know's about my thoughts on Marvel comics know's that, barring Daredevil, I have nothing but absolute utter disdain for the writing of Bendis. I hate it. I can explain on request if you'd like to know why but that's not terribly important to this post.

The fact he's personally written some of the most insultingly horrible comics featuring some much beloved heroes if not my tippy top faves makes my dislike almost personal. His style and his influence over the Marvel brand has been nothing short of cancerous. And now, finally, after almost two decades this leering Pillsbury dickhead will finally gone. There's plenty of other people who need to go as well, but hey, one down. Yay!

Now the other shoes drops. This cancer of a creator is now heading to a new body to possibly metastasize in. NOOOO! Why DC? Why in gods name are you hiring this guy? I want him out of comics altogether! You guys are doing so well! Now, that's a bit hyperbolic. DC's comics have been absolutely killing it they're so good across the board. There's enough good talent there and the heading is good so I don't see how one hack can sink the whole ship. However I do have those fears of Bendis getting inordinate pull just because he's Bendis and I worry for the fans of any character he writes and likely will promptly ruin. Still, in an ideal world, senior editors at DC will keep him on a tight leash and not give him carte blanche, making him write books more suited to his strong points.

Still, this move confounds me. For one thing, Bendis' name doesn't push books on its own like it used to. Also, part of the reason DC is doing so well right now is because the Rebirth initiative is rooted in celebration of DC's superhero community and the legacy of heroes therein. It's about embracing continuity and history, the things that made these characters icons. It seems like such a weird choice to hire a guy who habitually, almost pathologically shits all over these things. It's like asking Ted Bundy to take your daughter to prom.

Like I said, I don't think this will hurt DC's terrific momentum. It's just a bit worrisome and I wanted to go on a comic rant to get this off my chest. Like I said, I try not hating a because I hate their work, but Bendis has personally butt-fucked my top two all time fave Marvel heroes, the first of which is of immense personal importance to me. It's hard to not begrudge a guy for that.

Heyo. Just something I wanted to post asking a question out of curiosity to see if a corporate type is full of shit or to see if this is some situation where i've been floating around in my old person bubble.

So, It's sort of a matter of brand/word association. Like, if I were to say a company, you'd just by hearing it probably get a short list popping in your brain of their popular products. For example, if I said Nintendo there's a good chance almost immediately that Mario or Zelda would pop in your head. Or, if I said Disney, Mickey Mouse would almost certainly be the first thing you think of.

So here's my question. And when I ask it go ahead and write it in the comments before reading the rest of the journal. It would also probably help if you mention your age if you wish. It might put things into perspective. =3
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Okay, ready? When I say Marvel Comics, what are some of the immediate names of brands or characters that pop in your head?
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Don't read past here until you write down your first answer. ;3
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Okay, now a second question. When you're thinking about Marvel Comics, how much of that headspace is taken up by the X-men? How much of that headspace is taken up by the Fantastic Four?

Yeah, this isn't terribly scientific or anything but I think it could be interesting to see what people say. To elaborate on why I'm asking, Marvel has made some decisions over the past few years regarding certain properties that I find dubious if not outright ridiculous. However I'm curious if my opinion is rooted more in the fact I'm an 80s baby and therefore a crotchety member of the comics old guard. =P

Hey guys, just wanted to pimp a friend here on my journal and hep get the word out.

 MilkyBody is in my opinion one of the best inflation artists on FA here and has opened a Patreon page. He's trying to more forward with bigger, more ambitious projects and to start himself off it trying to take advantage of a bonus promotion to eliminate a hefty chunk of dept. That's something I can certainly sympathize with. Here's a link to the relevant journal where he goes more in depth on this issue.

https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/8476935/

Check out the journal and peruse his gallery and if you like what you see, consider donating a dollar a month. Thanks for taking the time to peek. =3

So yeah, feels like it's been a while since a journal question thing was asked. Whenever I stream games it seems the chat becomes a discussion of nerdy topics so I just wanted to remind you guys I'm willing to field questions here on the journal. I'll paste the thing I post in the other "Ask Zera" journals:

I love getting questions, especially about nerdy stuff. Want to ask me a question?
Just read this and send me a note!

I've really been in a Transformers mood lately. I don't know why but colder weather always gets them on my mind more so than usual so I'd really enjoy questions about the Transformers franchise whether it be about toys or lore or whatever. Just saying. =3

Just wanted to post this for buddies who regularly attend my little Kamen Rider binges. This game was announced a bit ago but now we get some more concrete footage.

https://youtu.be/-BVUClirzvo

Gives me a strong Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi vibe which isn't bad at all. I thought those games were good fun. I can say with certainty they're reusing assets from the Battride War series so this isn't being made from the ground up. Still, if it's fun then it's a moot point and having up to four players go at it sounds all kinds of fun. <3

YAKUZA...STYLE...HOKUTO NO KEN!!!

https://youtu.be/kBRkpUvWc2Y

*Throws bricks of money at Sega*

So yeah, the next three are going to be Black Manta, Raiden and Hellboy. Yeah, the Dark Horse character. I'm seeing a lot of people salty over Raiden, understandably so. What I didn't expect to see is people salty that Hellboy got in over...Spawn? So hold on a sec. People wanted SPAWN over HELLBOY?

https://youtu.be/uuL6cJPz3Nk

Ah well, I got Black Manta so I'm relatively happy. People who know me know how I feel about guest characters in fighters but Hellboy at least makes sense being an actual comic book character himself. He's a worthwhile addition. Certainly far more worthwhile than ANOTHER Mortal Kombat character. Seriously, fuck Raiden and Sub-Zero being in this game. They had their turn in MKX.

I also realize that with this announcement the roster for the game has literally EVERY new character I hoped for in that wishlist I made over a year ago...barring one.

Just making a random guess/hope here. Next bundle of dlc characters will be Mera, Atom, Booster Gold. Come oooooon NR. This roster is damn near perfect. Be done with the guests. X3

CLICK HERE!!!

https://youtu.be/FJbmB9k2Y88

Hello sweeties. Just a heads up I made a guild in Injustice 2, just like the title says. If you're one of my acquaintances and wanna join it, just let me know and I'll note you the ID code. I don't really have any intention or expectation of this guild going hardcore for points or whatever. It's just a place for friends to group up and have access to guild stuff without having to join some random group full of anonymous dickheads.

Gimme a poke if you wanna get in! <3

Just a little friendly reminder journal.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron was, in my opinion, one of the best games released last gen and it's available for purchase and download on the PS4. I just bought a PS4 a few weeks ago and this was one of the first games I bought for it. Third time I've bought this game believe it or not. I can't recommend it enough and if you're one of my friends who has a PS4 I totally encourage you to get it if able, especially if you never played it before. Would love to have a few people to party with in Escalation or the fantastic multiplayer. Even if you don't want to do online multiplayer the game has a stellar single player campaign. More action packed and exciting than any Michael Bay take and certainly more coherent!

https://youtu.be/eyW5KMMDjZw

Jeezus...half a decade and that trailer still gives me goosebumps. In a perfect world, Activision would use the High Moon staff they still have employed, hire more staff and have them make a TRUE sequel to this game. Not that Dark Spark nonsense. It's pure fantasy of course but I have a mental idea of what I'd love the game to be like. Maybe I should share it some time for my fellow Transformers fans.

I love getting questions, especially about nerdy stuff. Want to ask me a question?
Just read this and send me a note!

Got two today from somebody.

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 mazen234 asked: Heya! Well I guess this is our first time chatting so nice to meet you, I am Mazen. I am a pretty big geek on some stuff XD. Well let's see... I am still catching up on the Transformers comics man, I am following a guide but I think I am still far behind like 2011 behind. Will try to see where I am right now. What do you think so far about it? I really liked the feel for Megatron starting a rebellion because of the caste system in Cybertron.

Have you watched the new Jojo series? I know many are currently on the hype for it but it is a manga that came out long ago and finally got the justice in animation towards it. Also, so many anime before ended with not a satisfying ending... I am looking at you Saint Seiya!

Hello! Well, to answer the first part of your question about the Transformers, I think the recent comics under IDW have been a mixed bag. You got some great stuff and some grade A garbage. I will say I too love the idea of Decepticons being the result of social apartheid but then the movement just goes horribly wrong. I don't know exactly where you are but I'll try to express my thoughts on the certain creative eras.

-Simon Furman's run started well enough and the Spotlight issues were generally good throughout but as time went on I got frustrated by new plot threads being added while none of the older ones were getting resolved. Also took itself a bit too seriously
-All Hail Megatron was boring, stupid garbage to me. Thank god for the next one.
-Last Stand of the Wreckers is one of my all time fave Transformers stories and a must read for fans in my opinion.
-Mike Costa's run is the dark ages. Quite possibly the worst Transformers comics I ever read.
-Barber's stuff is mostly okay. He's good on the set-up but always seems to falter and reach unsatisfying conclusions. Still, mostly readable. Though I don't like this direction of Optimus becoming some sort of robo messiah.
-Roberts has been mostly great on MTMTE. There's some lower points but by and large he's telling fun sci-fi adventure stories with great, underused characters. Great art too, mostly.
-Scott's stuff has always been blah to me. I don't really like how her characters are written. They seems shallow for some reason. Doesn't help I really don't give a shit about Windblade.
-Also, this whole Hasbro Aligned universe isn't doing any favors for any of the books

As for JoJo I watched the anime of the first three arcs and liked it. It's inferior to the manga but is definitely faithful and if it's the gateway that gets people to FINALLY realize how awesome JoJo is, so be it. Just as long as people do eventually check out the manga anyway. It irks me that in the US people tend to go from anime adaption back to source material rather than the other way around, but whatever.

 GateMaster asked: Hey it's me Gatemaster,

Anyways I wanted to ask if you've watched the wonder woman movie and if you did, do you like it? Also good news Nova is in Marvel vs Capcom Infinite.

I haven't seen Wonder Woman yet but several friends an acquaintances had positive things to say so I definitely plan to. A DC movie that doesn't suck? Sign me up! And yes! Nova in the next MvC! When I first heard that I was convinced it would be Sam but then I saw the story trailer and NOPE! It's Rich! Now, granted, I have absolutely no faith in this game being any good at all. Everything I've seen looks pretty terrible. Still, that Rich is getting exposure in other media is definitely a silver lining as far as I'm concerned, especially since his latest ongoing was cancelled in 7 issues. You editorial fuckers at Marvel can't bury Rich, you hear me?! Nobody likes you creator's pet Loeb. Whenever anybody else is given the reigns, they go to Rich!

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Remember to note me the questions. And be sure to check that link at the top. Really itching to answer some stuff that falls into those categories. Particularly Transformers and Battletech. <3

I was playing a couple comic based games tonight and had quite a few interesting inquiries about stuff. Just want to remind folks I love talking about comics and other nerdy stuffs so if you want to pick my brain for comic info or even reading recommendations on where to start or what have you , don't hesitate to message me.

Just read this and send me a note!