The New IDW Series and Police Brutality

(Published Sep 4, 2020)

Transformers rant about to begin.

I have not read the new IDW Transformers comics. The ones Hasbro demanded to be made to replace the one good TF story they EVER had going for them... My beloved G1 2005 series... Stupid rushed ending... Stupid Hasbro...

Back on topic. I have not read the new series, but I know it's taking place on Cybertron before the war (if there will be a war in this series), and it's all about how corrupt and terrible Cybertron is, and how Megatron is trying to change things, and mostly politics and stuff.

The other day I saw something incredibly stupid and messed up... Many Transformers fans have been attacking the writer of this series, even messaging him on his Twitter account, BULLYING him because he has police brutality in the series and people protesting. And that people in the comics have been saying they don't have justice.

Why are fans pissed about this? They think the writer is "taking advantage" of the current racial protests to gain readers, and they demand Hasbro fire him.

Now, let me tell you why that's bullshit in points because I'm that serious:

1) When a writer writes for a movie, comic book, or other media they do so FAR ahead of the time it will be published because the story must first be accepted by the owners of the franchise. Then, it takes time to create the content. Movies will have their scripts written months before they begin to shoot it. Comics will usually have the script for ten or more comics written a year before the first issue is printed. This is because it takes time for an artist to draw an entire comic, then to ink it, someone else to color it, another person to edit the speech bubbles, then time to print. And they always have to stay about 10 issues ahead in their writing so the artists always know what to draw, make the cover art for them to advertise ahead of time, etc.

This means, that's at least 5 months (if the series releases every 2 weeks) ahead of time of the publication to when the writer wrote the story. So, the riots in the comics were written a few months before they happened in real life. And most likely were already being drawn a couple of months before the racial riots.

2) Riots in comics, movies, police brutality in these media, etc. is common. It has always been around because it's a real issue. And when the story is about a fucked up society, like Cybertron is in every continuity (hence why there's a war!), of course this will happen.

In the IDW G1 TF series before that started in 2005 it literally begins with "Megatron Origin." What do we see in this 4 part issue? People being classified by what they transform into (Functionism) and treated by their form as lesser beings. They are given either no rights or all the rights depending on literally how they look. Racism! This was the story for 13 years in that series and no one had an issue because the series was reflecting real life issues. And riots happened when someone said enough was enough. That someone was Megatron. But unlike the good Dr King, Megatron turned to violence, and the riots became an all out war.

3) People have been complaining that Prowl, a police officer, has been using police brutality for "the greater good," and they say that this is showing it as being okay. Since it's for good in the end. And they are attacking the writer. But last I checked, Batman also beat people up for the greater good. Has no one seen "The Dark Knight?" Or any of Bruce Timm's DC work? Like, seriously!

And police brutality, or otherwise abuse for "the greater good" has always been in movies, tv shows, comics, etc. The whole good cop, bad cop thing... We see so many films where the evil guy gets beaten up or even tortured by the "good" guy to save the day. But no one calls these incidents out.

As a vegan, I'm against cruelty. But I guess in the situations these stories create, the characters find themselves in a desperate spot so do what they feel like they must to save the day.

4) Bullying a creator is wrong. If you don't like the story, don't read it. But maybe it's upsetting you is because it's reflecting real life and means you need to take action to fix the real world, not a fictional world. I, too, write stories that have real life situations, to educate about animal and human cruelties. The answer isn't to get pissed at me for writing about these awful things. The answer is to learn that these things are happening in real life so get off your lazy ass and do something!

_ _ _ _ _

While I haven't read these comics yet I now actually want to. Because anything that is upsetting people like this must mean it's a well written story, and I applaud the writer for doing so well. Creating raw emotions in your readers is what good writers do.

Plus, my Space Hubby is in them and he looks sexy as ever so I really should read them... For the articles, of course. :P

Oh, and Prowl apparently has a pet dinosaur which raises many questions I demand answers for. Where did he get one? How are they not dying when it's been confirmed Cybertron has a very low Oxygen level that Earthlings can't survive (TF Revelations)? Pterodactyls are believed to have been carnivorous and if so, where is Prowl obtaining organic flesh to feed them? Do they use a litterbox? Since when is Prowl a responsible pet parent? Is this Prowl nicer because he has a pet? Does Ultra Magnus have a little person in him? Is Whirl chonky? Does Drift appear with his huge hips? Where is Thundercracker and Skywarp?

So many questions... So little time...