Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #4

A week-to-week plan is available for re-reading VALIANT from the beginning...
start anytime, go at your own pace.

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How would you rate this book?

10
3
75%
9
1
25%
8
0
No votes
7
0
No votes
6
0
No votes
5
0
No votes
4
0
No votes
3
0
No votes
2
0
No votes
1
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 4

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xoken
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Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #4

Post by xoken »

I thought we could do a book a day (that way people can read one every day or catch up on weekends), talk about it on its own, in the context of whats next, in regards to what expectations it creates and vote on how good it is. I don't have to be the one that posts everyday. If I miss a day or if someone wants to take over please do

For voting think of your single favourite comic book (not just VALIANT) as the benchmark - thats a 10 - and grade according to that.

Make sure to mention what you like'd about the book, what you didn't, what you wish they would have done, your favourite panels, lines of dialogue, little bits of trivia etc.

Magnus Robot Fighter #4
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magnusr
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Re: Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #4

Post by magnusr »

The situation is worse than ever for North-Am, so Magnus makes one final effort and solves it all, plus totally changes the situation for both humanity and robots. Sounds like just a big fighting issue. No, not at all. It's still mainly about human reactions (be it humans or robots that show these reactions). Also more than before it's about Magnus' development and independance. Magnus' quote in the end of the issue really says it all. A very satisfactory closure to a fantastic story, done in an intelligent way and leaving absolutely every possibility open for future stories.

/Magnus

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myron
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Re: Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #4

Post by myron »

magnusr wrote:The situation is worse than ever for North-Am, so Magnus makes one final effort and solves it all, plus totally changes the situation for both humanity and robots. Sounds like just a big fighting issue. No, not at all. It's still mainly about human reactions (be it humans or robots that show these reactions). Also more than before it's about Magnus' development and independance. Magnus' quote in the end of the issue really says it all. A very satisfactory closure to a fantastic story, done in an intelligent way and leaving absolutely every possibility open for future stories.

/Magnus
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Daniel Jackson
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Post by Daniel Jackson »

It's amazing how much depth this story has. As Magnus pointed out it's not just about smashing robots, there is so much more going on in the plot. The artwork and coloring are still top notch as well.

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Todd Luck
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Post by Todd Luck »

It's just as good as the last four issues. Really amazing, epic stuff.

And Shooter's Magnus just oozes bad a$$ness. There's 200 robots and a gaint golden beserker between Magnus and O1X and all they do is slow him down a bit. Even doing something as simple knocking a hole in the wall and climbing up the tube with his bear hands oozes toughness.

Shooter also establishs his definition of a hero here:

The hero of the story is the one who values individual life and liberty. The guys trying to force themselves on others? That's the villians.

The hero doesn't have to know what to do all the time (often he doesn't). He doesn't have to defend society (though often he does). He doesn't have to somehow magically never hurt or kill anyone in a fight but should do so only as a last result. A hero doesn't have to save everybody (often he can't) but will give his life to save as many as he can. And most importantly, a hero is willing sacrifice whatever it takes to do what's right.

A real hero that deals with real moral issues not some hokey comic book crap ("I don't want to break my code against killing, oh no!") Revolutionary stuff.

And it still has one of the most moving endings ever. Poor magnus gives up everything.

A 10.

Inside joke of the issue: Actually this ran through out the storyline, but the robs' nickname for Magnus, "The Hammer" was taken from one of the names Manning considered for the character before he landed on Magnus (Manning had an idea that his robot fighter would use a hammer at one point)

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Post by magnusr »

Seaborn's synopsis:
Having usurped Central-rob’s Mainbrain and therefore commanding all of North Am’s robots, 0-1X begins the subjugation of humanity. Across North Am, humans are rounded up by the suddenly hostile robot population. And in the Mainbrain chamber itself, the robots debate their plans. D15 screams to kill all the humans. But Tekla arrives to plead for peace. The other freewills distrust her as she looks humanoid and speaks with inflection. But 0-1X allows her to be heard and agrees that while they control North Am, robots should be merciful. But Magnus will not be shown such mercy. D15 forces Dr Giardino to perform certain modifications to his body in preparation for vengeance on Magnus. Also, Senator Clane is brought before 0-1X, who promises to execute one billion humans if Magnus isn’t brought in for justice. Humbled, Clane has no choice but to publicly call for Magnus to surrender.
Shortly, Clane, Leeja, and Timbuc are among the first group scheduled for execution by the robots. Just as they are about to be shot by E7’s firing squad, Timbuc makes a deal: delay the execution in exchange for information on Magnus’ subetherial tranceiver implant. The robots use this information to set a trap. They send false subetherial messages suggesting that a certain route into Central-rob is unguarded. Taking the bait, Magnus sneaks into Central-rob, only to be ambushed.
Magnus barely escapes into a ventilation duct. Inside, he finds Elzy on her way to attack 0-1X. Together, they choose a different route toward the Mainbrain. Meanwhile, Tekla visits Leeja in her cell. Just then, the order comes through to execute Leeja. But Tekla is determined to protect the woman Magnus loves. Nonetheless, Magnus monitors the subetherial message confirming that Leeja has been executed.
Reaching the chamber, Magnus finds that he must now face the redesigned D15. The body that Dr Giardino provided is almost indestructible. But the captive Dr Giardino is present in the chamber and she shouts for Magnus to strike D15’s weakly shielded numbered chest-plate. Magnus does so and topples the deadly D15. As the shocked robot onlookers rush to stop him, Magnus leaps for 0-1X and beheads him. The Mainbrain reboots, now free of 0-1X’s dominion. All normal robots are commanded to destroy all present freewills. But Magnus will not suffer such carnage to happen. He picks up D15’s tough corpse and hurls it at the Mainbrain, terminating central control of North Am’s robots. The freewills cannot understand why the Robot Fighter would save them. Even when Timbuc arrives to blast the freewills, Magnus will not permit it.
Later, Magnus and President Clane inspect Leeja’s cell. Leeja’s corpse is nowhere to be seen. There is only a hole in the cell wall leading to a 500-foot drop. Giving up hope of his daughter’s survival, the distraught Clane banishes Magnus from the milespires. Magnus heads for the Goph levs, where Tekla bids him farewell as she goes to provide leadership for the remaining freewills.
When Tekla returns to the wildlife refuge, it is revealed that Leeja’s execution was faked. Leeja wanted to leave the soft society of the milespires to learn strength from the freewills. Perhaps, when she is ready, Leeja will reveal to her loved-ones that she isn’t dead.
And, in a solitary med-rob chamber, Magnus shaves his hair off and has the med-unit remove his subetherial tranceiver implant. No longer the pawn of 1-A or the North Am government, Magnus now walks the Goph lands as a free man.

/Magnus


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