IDW Publishing Forums

[Sprite]

I think there might be some confusion concerning the phrase "sharing one's life". In this context, it doesn't just refer to the people you want to have in your life, it means more than that. And that's where the "significant other" comes in. It's not just close friends, it would refer to people you'd share a house, even a bed, with. For the rest of your life. I doubt that all people one feels close to qualify.

And sex isn't a necessary element of that. There are people who define themselves as a couple, might even be married, who don't have sex. Ever. As was mentioned before in an earlier discussion, there are people who are asexual, yet fall in love, engage in romance. The lack of sex or sexual desire doesn't mean it can't be a relationship as we understand the word, you know, as an established couple.

I think in our world, what Chromedome and Rewind have would be perceived as a homoromantic asexual relationship. It would be based on affectional orientation, not sexual orientation.

(Also I think whatever accusations of homophobia may have been made in this thread are directed at people who seem to have a distinct problem with the idea that there might be any homosexual subtext to Chromedome and Rewind's relationship at all, not at people who prefer to interpret it differently.)
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[Iacon_Pax]

Joining the conversation late, as I wanted to re-read the issue before saying anything. I have skimmed every page of this thread in the hopes of not repeating things that others have already beaten to death, but, if I do repeat something, well, like I said, skimmed...

Anyway, my thoughts:
1) As some of you have likely noticed, I've been a bit disappointed by Roberts ever since the end of the 2-issue DJD arc, which I enjoyed thoroughly. The Annual did nothing for me, the Orion Pax spotlight was too simple 80's-ish for me, and Shadowplay, which I had looked forward to greatly, was somewhat ruined for me by the ending (being yet again an ending that frustrated; I felt insulted to be misled into thinking that Rung was dead, and I felt let down that the surprise about the senator, whose identity Roberts had said that he feared people would guess ahead of time, really had no clues at all leading to it, and made no real sense in the bigger picture, much like the recent spotlight's use of Alpha Trion). This issue, however, returned to being enjoyable and a fun ride for me; I just hope that the storyline continues to progress, as I feel that we keep getting more and more new plot threads, but little advancement on existing ones.

2) A TECHNOBOT LIVES!!! YAY!!! Please find a way to bring them back!

3) Who is talking to Chromedome? I initially assumed it was Brainstorm outside the door, since he asked to be let in, thus I assumed there was literally someone asking to be let into the room. Upon re-reading, I wonder whether it was a memory from someone whom Chromedome read? Possibly even Red Alert, before he tried to kill himself, as a backup of his mind in case he didn't make it? He seemed paranoid enough to back himself up in Chromedome. Either way, another personality asking to be let in? Alternatively, maybe Overlord himself, but speaking to Chromedome as though he were someone else. Maybe Chromedome read his mind once, and this created a link that Overlord is now using to talk to him.

4) Tailgate's bomb defusing: Upon my first reading, I thought that Tailgate was faking, and asking questions in order to find out what he should do; maybe his whole history is a lie. Upon re-reading, however, it seems more genuine. He doesn't care initially about biological life because he comes from a time when Cybertronians didn't. Now that he knows he should, he wants to protect it and those around him, thus he doesn't want to leave until every drop of protex is gone; additionally, like many people who enjoy mastering many skills, he enjoys teaching as well. So, upon second reading, I don't have the degree of suspicion of Tailgate that I initially did.

5) Dominus: I really hope we find out who it was, and that it genuinely makes sense. I don't want this to be another Senator Shockwave...

6) The place for sexuality in a Transformers comic: This is scifi. The best scifi not only theorizes about the future, but uses that world to comment on ourselves and our current development in ways a story set in the "real" world could likely not get away with. Remember the original Star Trek made no issue of what, if memory serves, was the first interracial kiss on television. Thanks to that, many kids grew up also not thinking that it needed to be a big deal. Different media, but still scifi, still aimed at some kids and many adults. I see no issue.

7) That said, the alleged homosexuality between Chromedome and Rewind? To me, this is the type of true friendship that leads to the best lifelong friends, and also the best marriages. It doesn't matter which.
Really, it to me is the same thing as when Jay introduces Silent Bob as his "hetero life mate."

[Iacon_Pax]

One last thought, for those that think that there can be nothing sexual in Transformers: While I want to agree with you, Roberts has been humanizing them since issue one of this series. I don't just mean the wordings that they choose, but their behaviors, etc. To me, Bludgeon telling Pax in Spotlight that Megatron said things that would make them both feel uncomfortable was not only a joke, but also another salvo suggesting there there are, in Roberts' writing, sexual elements to Transformers. Just my interpretation, though.

Hetero life mates.

[Sprite]

"Hetero life mate". I like that.

I think there's a human tendency that wants everything clearly defined, but terminology tends to be only an approximation at best. There will always be a lot of overlap and grey areas.

Personally I like it a lot that Chromedome and Rewind's relationship is ambiguous and remains open to interpretation.
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[Iacon_Pax]

Sorry, forgot to voice one more thought:

Every appearance, be it regular issues or the annual, makes me like Ultra Magnus more and more and dislike Rodimus more and more, feeling that he is unworthy to lead and steadily becoming less likable.

[Thunderwing]

[Sprite]

I wonder if Dominus somehow is the Necrobot. And if him looking for the cure for cybercrosis (like necrosis?) has something to do with the list...
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[YoungPrime]

[Sprite]

[DanielW]

[Sprite]

"Find any... new positions?"

Lots of innuendo in Beast Wars.
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[lowmanx]

Transformers can't have sex? Try telling that to the satellite Soundwave had his way with in Revenge of the Fallen...
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"I've got better things to do tonight than die."

[Dire 51]

no sexuality in transformers. none.

[YoungPrime]

[DanielW]