Book 5: Robotech: Force of Arms

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

The next book in my year+ long look at Robotech is the fifth book in the Del Ray series Robotech: Force of Arms. This book covers episodes 19-24 which cover the big events of the first Robotech War. Before we go on you will undoubtedly notice that I now am calling this my 'year+ long look at Robotech' as opposed to my 'year long look at Robotech'. As the middle of the year zipped by I started to figure out that my schedule will not permit me to finish this within the year. This will probably drag into the majority of 2013 now. No big deal but I would have liked to have completed this task before the year was out so I could read other stuff. Watching the show is a breeze but the reading of the books and the comics have become a real time drag. Oh well, more Robotech fun!

This is the big one... the book covers the near destruction of the human (and Zentraedi) race. After the events of the Zentraedi attack the story takes this lurch of 2 years and slows way down. Yeah, I know this is all spoiler material but you probably know everything that happens anyway, right?

This is also the book that covers the fun events of Max and Miyira's meeting and wedding. Wow, a lot happens here. The novel does a lot to explain some of the weirdness of their meeting like the fact that Max meets this stranger in a park at night and why all the sudden he falls so in love he doesn't care that she is trying to kill him.

They fall in love and marry and all that jazz. Suddenly the military lets Miyira get in a Veritech and fly around with him in battle?! Does anyone find that a bit strange? The author does his best to explain it but you can only do so much.

As you know I have had my suspicions as to who was writing which book (Daley or Luceno). It used to be somewhat obvious but now I am not 100% sure. I would bet that Daley did this book but he didn't stick so closely to the show like he did before.

Back to the action: so Max and Miyira are in the battle and she tells him to shoot the pods so the pilot will survive. What Miyira does is more cruel to the Zentraedi pilots that just blowing them up. She is basically disabling the pod, stranding the pilot in deep space to presumably to die of starvation. They are a warrior race that seems to care little for their troops. Do you really think higher-ups will bother to go retrieve a few measly pods? I doubt it. Also, these are warriors, to deprive them of a honorable death in battle is humiliating! That Miyira... what a bitch!

During Rick's rescue of Lisa (in the show) his canopy gets broken. It's very faint (thanks to the fact that is transparent) but you can see it. In the book this doesn't happen. I think the source tape the author was watching was bad enough for him to miss this fact.

In the final attack of the SDF-1 on Dolza's headquarters the main gun is NEVER used. I just found that interesting since it was always such an important part of the ships offense and the storyline.

In the show several direct hits on the SDF-1 and the destruction of Macross City. It looks like they animated the destructing at 32 frames a second (twice as normal). It is kinda heart wrenching but the book just mentions it briefly.

When the SDF-1 launches it final attack and turns on the shield barrier the book never mentions that this is the same overload type explosion that happened to Ontario. A very clever twist by the writers. The book says the alliance attacks Dolz'a base's reflex drive. This just sucks. The deliberate use of the faulty overloading shield is much cooler.

Dolza seems to change his mind at the last second when he sees the power (and cunning) of the SDF-1 in the hands of the humans. I doubt this behavior would be the Zentraedi way. Again (as in an earlier book) the Zentraedi high-command considers attacking their masters (the Robotech Masters). I think this is off-base with their character as a whole. They are Zentraedi, bred for war. I doubt it would have even crossed their minds to betray their masters.

I have never really even though about this part but Breetai and Azonia's forces fight along side the SDF-1 where do they go when the SDF-1 goes in and blows up Dolza's ship? The explosion takes out ALL of the Zentraedi forces. How did Breetai and Azonia escape?

In my RPG books and in other material it looks like the SDF-1 lands in North America after it destroys Dolza's fleet. Now... Rick and Lisa are on hand to see it fall from the sky. Rick saved Lisa from Alaska base. You mean to tell me that Rick and Lisa flew that far? Remember Rick ditched his Veritech's canopy after it was damaged. So they flew unprotected all the way down there? Whaaaaa????? lol.

Chapter 22 (the beginning of 'Reconstruciton Blues') recaps the destruction of the Earth at the hands of Dolza's fleet. It is very good. Bravo!

Sorry this took so long to post. I have been trying to sell my house and all that jazz so it has taken extra long to get this stuff done. Not to mention I finished watching the Flash TV series and Birds of Prey series (on DVD). I'm such a slacker!

Robotech Episodes 19 - 24

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

In 2012 I am up to episode 19 of the Robotech saga. This includes all the comics, books, and episodes chronologically up to this point in the series. I am shooting for the whole series including all comics and such through the end of the year (not sure if I'm gonna make it...). I better get hustling!

This batch of six episodes is being watched a little bit differently than the previous ones. I have been watching and reading in batches of six but this time I will watch an episode, read the revelant part in the Robotech novels and read the comic book of that episode. I will still be publishing the blogs in batches of six but I will be working on all of them at the same time.

Episode #19 Bursting Point

The SDF-1 flying low over the city is awesome!

Claudia has become the martyr in this show. She has basically lost everything and has to put up with everyone's sympathy with such a brave face. It's no wonder she takes to the bottle.

When Lisa comes up to Rick their hands are resting on thin air. The animation cells didn't line up.

Kyhron is such a loose canon. Why would a warrior race obsessed with such perfection let someone like him live.

Ben's un-finished steak... what a metaphor!

This is obviously the 'A' team of animators, it looks great.

As good as Gloval is he made two GIANT mistakes, the initial fold of the SDF-1 over Macross Island and the activation of the barrier shield over Ontario. Both times he is warned not to do it and both times he takes no council.

Lisa drops the 'everyone's lives are in your hands' guilt on Rick before the barrier explodes.

When Ben dies Rick does this Catholic thing but crossing himself. I have noticed that in some 80's Anime there a few references to religion, something you don't see in US cartoons.
Rick hanging up on Minmei is sort of his movement into adulthood.

This episode is probably my favorite episode because of the whole barrier overload. This episode has some comedy, action, and lots of drama. When Rick reports Ben's death to Lisa it's heart breaking.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:

Episode #20 Paradise Lost

Breetai has a smirk a mile wide while Azonia's failures are played out on the screen.

I think it's interesting that Breetai's flagship still hasn't been fixed since Max busted through the screen and bubble on the bridge.

On the SDF-1 the supply vehicles move down the Macross city streets past... Macross Nald's. Har har har.

Ben's spirit sure is short!

Lisa just walks into Gloval's office THEN asks if it's OK to come in... saucy woman.

Why did the spies battlepod jettison it's legs? It can fly just fine with them...

The Zentraedi quickly adopted the Micronian usage to the word 'Robotech'.

Exedore can balance a piano on one thumb! The pile of human artifacts shrinks and grows as the debriefing.

One of the running crowd during Gloval's broadcast disappears magically. Whoops.

Minmei's song starts before she is done talking. Lipsyncher!

Why is Kyle comforting Captain Gloval? He hates the military.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:

Episode #21 A New Dawn

At the party Jan Morris makes a return. This whole first couple of scenes have a lot inter personal stuff going on. It's very interesting. Jan even mentions reading someone's palm.

Myria just waltzs into the movie in front of people who obviously have waited all day.

The pilot next to Max at the movie is Will Wheaton.

How in the world would the song 'Stagefight' be the theme to a kung-fu movie.

Rico looks a lot like Michael Jackson while he boasts to the other Zentraedi about Minmei!

I absolutely love it when Breetai sees and misunderstands the kung-fu movie.

It's also great when Rick accidentally grabs Lisa's butt.

The part of the episode where Rick and Lisa are trapped is great. This episode has no real action but is just as good as the most action packed episodes.

The appearance of the cola machine is classic.

It's strange that we never actually see any battle going on while Sammie is in command. It's like they needed to save some money.

The end of this episode is nice. Rick and Lisa hand in hand... finally.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:

Episode #22 Battlehymn

The Minmei 'infection' is a great aspect to both Macross and Robotech. It is kinda strange how the Zentraedi have not encountered culture before.

The animation cells in this episode are very dirty at time. I guess the more people work on a cell or if more than one person works on it they get dirty.

Rico looks like this guy...

When Rick is thinking about stuff they show a Minmei 'Lovely Concert' poster on the wall. I think it's funny... a drawing looking at a drawing.

How many songs does Minmei have? The people of Macross never get tired of her songs.

The floating screens in the Zentraedi flag ship are neat. I am guessing that we will have that technology at some point in the future.

How are Rico Konda and Bron suddenly in Khyron's part of the fleet? I thought they were on Breetai's flagship. I could be wrong. Wait... they are on Breetai's ship. He is taking a HUGE risk letting the SDF-1 hit his ship with the Deadelus.

We finally see some more combat after a few episodes of rest.
When Minmei starts singing during the battle her mouth is moving before she actaully starts singing.

Why do Raidar X destroids start running into the Zentraedi ship?

When Minmei is tending to Kyle her eyes are black... soulless.. I knew it.

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:

Episode #23 Reckless

We pickup where last episode left off. Macross looks like utter crap!

"A Minmei, never heard of it. What are its ballistic capabilities?"

That one Zentraedi pilot looks like a little kid.

Ut oh, Rick sees Kyle and Minmei kissing. In our day and age of P.C. what Kyle did would have been considered rape.

Khyron is still blasting his troops all the way back to his ship.

Once again, the series has taken a very adult tone with the defection of the spies.

The animation in this episode varies from decent to down right sloppy. It reminds me of several episodes of the New Generation (but we will get to that much later).

Max looks VERY pasty at the defector meeting. Perhaps he is feeling ill at the prospect of living with aliens.

Uncle Max must be a midget... he sure is short.

Uncle Max says that they (he and Leena) both can't go and leave the restaurant but that is exactly what they were doing before Rick and Lisa showed up.

Rick cleans the damaged restaurant in his gloves. Really, who cleans in their driving gloves?

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:

Epsiode #24 Showdown

Who was that guy walking with Max? Max still looks pale so I guess that's just his skin color.

Rick is wearing a very early 80's Japanese fashion complete with cravat... slick!

Lisa flakes out telling Rick she is love with him.

Some of the armor animation in Lisa's shuttle goofs up.

Is Khyron just waiting in his battlepod 24/7 for a battle, sheesh.

The transformation of Max's Veritech into Battloid is awesome! Also, the Super Verictech looks cool just sitting there.
After Rick leaves Lisa's shuttle we begin the first of Myria's arcade capers (probably my favorite part of the first 36 episodes).

Oh, Max's pallor looks better when he talks Rick into going to the arcade but when they arrive he looks sickly.

Look! It's little Jason again! Man that kid never grows. I wish arcades here in the US paid out tokens! One of those games looks to me it might be Lupin.

Whent Max and Myria's game being quite the collection of strangeness surrounds the action.

I love this arcade scene!

Back on earth Admiral Hayes tells Lisa that the UEG is going to fire the Grand Cannon at the enemy before they enter peace negations. This smells of War War II and the dropping the bomb on Hiroshima.

The Zentraedi defectors come UNGLUED when Rico tells them that marriage means that the two people go away and spend all their time pressing their lips together. Lol!

PROTOCULTURE ADDICTS BITS:
Bloopers:

Macross Perfect Memory

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Right up there with the Robotech Roleplaying books, Macross: Perfect Memory is the other 'must have' for any Robotech fan. Perfect Memory is a Japanese book (easily available on EBay) that shows almost every concept sketch, character models, as well as the majority of the show (through screen caps). Although it is in Japanese it won't stop your enjoyment of this visual feast.

Perfect Memory covers the Macross saga only (the first 36 episodes of Robotech). As a side note Macross was intended to only last the 24 episodes but the show turned out to be so popular that more episodes were added (everything after the Zentraedi armada defeat). You can also find other animation art books online for Southern Cross and Mospeada (the other 2 parts of Robotech).

Years ago I got a hold of 'This Is Animation' volumes 1, 2, and 3 which covers most of the stuff in Perfect Memory. For some reason I had sold or traded away those. I found this book on EBay and it has been fantastic. The book is divided into several sections that cover the story of the show, artwork, concept art, character model sheets, mecha and Macross city model sheets. There are also story boards, 'the making of', and staff comments.

The first part of the book is an episode summary of the show. There is the episode's synopsis (in Japanese) and multiple screen shots. It is interesting to see the Japanese names of the episodes (which are in English). Some of them are exactly like the Robotech ones and some are downright funny like: 'Pine Salad', 'Kung-Fu Dandy', and 'Virgin Road'. It is also interesting to see some of the stuff that was cut out of Robotech like seeing Lynn Minmei's naked butt in 'The Long Wait' or Roy Fokker's bloody back in 'Farewell Big Brother'.

The next part of the book is Macross 'Outside Story' which appears to be what happened after episode 24 of the series (assuming that it was the end of the show). It's all in Japanese but from what I can gather from the pictures is that Rick and Lisa went on being in love, Minmei and Lynn Kyle lived happily ever-after, the Zentraedi that were left peacefully integrated with the humans, and New Macross city grew up around the old SDF-1 (like in the show). Of course all this was somewhat altered with addition of the 12 extra episodes.

The next section deals with the last 12 episodes and is just like the synopsis for the first 24. After that 'Combat Action' shows the animation cells used the action scenes of the show. There are a bunch of cutsie-type pictures of super deformed mecha and characters in funny poses throughout this section.

Miss Macross "For Space Life Casual" is the next part of the book. It is basically some color art work of the women of Macross in various outfits.

The next section (page 101-136) is filled with the character model sheets for the series. There are hundreds of sketches of the characters (major people and background ones too).

My favorite section is the next one: Mechanic of Macross. This section contains the sketches of the ships, configurations, details, and every location in loving detail. I think this section alone could be sold as a book. There are soooooo many great drawings here! If you are following my year long Robotech experience I have often commented that the comics will use some of original sketches as a basis for their art work. Just look at the SDF-1 on page 140 or the Veritechs on page 151 and you will see lots of shots that look familiar. As an interesting side note there is a drawing of the SDF-2 on page 150. You can see how similar (and dissimilar in some ways) to the original SDF-1. The SDF-2 looks very similar to the SDF-1 in the Macross movie: Do You Remember Love.

The next section has concept artwork for the characters. You will some strangely familiar figures in this section. The early Rick Hunter looks like he would be more comfortable in Starblazers then Robotech. Minmei didn't change one bit while Roy went from looking more like Ben to the character we know and love. The final character changes were all for the better! There are also some very interesting concept art work for the SDF-1 and other mecha. The SDF-1 looked very Gundam-like in it's robot mode and I have to admit I liked the Gladiator better in it's concept drawing than the final product.

The next section I can't figure out at all. It seems to be a page from a manga but I am not sure if it's something that inspired Macross or just some test manga or what. Nothing really looks like Macross with the slight exception of the big ship in the background. I wish I could read Japanese...

The last section deals with (in Japanese) the staff and the voice actors of Macross. There is a saucy little picture of a naked Myria inside her Quadrono battle suit too!

That's all! This book is work every penny I paid for it. If you are fan of either Macross or Robotech this book is a must!

Robotech (Comico Comics) #19-24

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Robotech #19 (Comico 1987)

The opening shot of the SDF-1 from the ground looking up is great. It is an angle we don't normally get to see and it give the ship a sense of scale.

I noticed that in the show they don't tell you where the SDF-1 initially is (which city it is slowly flying over). In the book it says it's California and here in the comic it is New York.

On page 6 there is a cool shot of the bridge of the ship and another neat ground-level shot on the next page.

On page 8 Azonia starts talking about 'Breetai's mission' and I was like 'what the heck' but then I remembered that the spies were his doing.

Myria nekkid on page 9... hubba hubba.

Khyron looks a little... strange in the last pane on page 10... old man Kyhron or something...

The shot of the barrier control center is awesome. It appears to be based on the original sketch work done for Macross. Nice touch Comico.

The art in this issue is great. Time and after time I am impressed with this artist. This is the 80's and it looks great for being of that time and a smaller comic company. Way to go.

Robotech #20 (Comico 1987)

Breetai's sickly-looking double stands in for him in the last frame of page 3.

At least the UEG provided the SDF-1 with lots of new supplies. It would be jerky of them to just kick them off Earth with nothing.

On the top of page 4 is part of the 'Macross Nald's' building you see in the show.

The woman dropping off the 'move-out' orders from the UEG says a lot more here in the comic book... she's a real poo-head.

On page 12 one of the Zentraedi spies says something about the ship sealing itself after they blast their way out. This isn't mentioned in either the book or episodes. Nice since that is the first thing I thought about when it happened on the show.

On page 14 Gloval comes to the conclusion that they had spies on the ship. He didn't do that in the show either.

After the spies give their report and show all the crap they stole from the SDF-1 they talk about the stuff they kept. That is a lot of stuff for the spies to have stolen! There are several televisions, fridges, VCRs, and a grand piano!

After Minmei breaks in and gives her speech to the citizens of Macross after Gloval has broke the bad news Lisa leaves and says: 'that's the signal' then when she gets on the bridge she says that 'she' did it. It is as if Minmei's little speech was planned. It seemed to be more of an 'spur of the moment' thing in the show and the book. Lynn Minmei... RDF propaganda queen!

After Minmei starts her singing Kyle tells Gloval he is a good man... what?! I thought Kyle hated everything about the military...

Robotech #21 (Comico 1987)

The opening shot looks great. It would have been nice to see the SFD-1's ceiling in the background but you could blame that blue sky on the EVE system, right?

Page 5 has that shot from the show of the RDF base. I like it!

I have noticed that the comics have moved further and further away from the dialogue of the show (which it used to follow much more closely). This is no big deal, I just wanted to point it out.

Minmei doesn't sing before the movie starts like she does in the show. I always thought it was strange that 'Stagefright' would be the theme to a kung-fu movie.

The narrator says that Myria placed the transmitter that Breetai is using to watch the transmission from the ship. I like that the comic people are trying to explain how a Breetai can see a movie playing (since it really doesn't make sense that a movie would be broadcast like a TV show) but Myria? She seemed to be more rogue than a real spy.

Page 15 features two-faced Rick Hunter, freak of nature!

Some of the character designs are strange in this issue. Lisa and Sammie look strange. On page 18 Sammie's uniform looses it's blue tone for a frame too.

On page 24 Vanessa's uniform has lost it's color too. Looks like things got a little rushed with this issue. Oh yeah, and Claudia looks like she is 65 with that gray hair!

Robotech #22 (Comico 1987)

Minmei on the cover looks a little... iffy.

Mike Leeke's work improved over the last issue. I guess he was rushed with that last comic. This one looks better.

On page 7 Karita's uniform changes color too.

On page 13 there is an ad for the FHE 6-episode editions of Robotech (the ones I had). The art here is interesting since it looks to be someone who we have never seen do Robotech art before. Minmei still looks retarded... I guess it's universal.

Breetai mentions sending in 'drone pods'... what the heck is this? I guess some invention of the comic people because I have never seen this anywhere. In fact I think it's a bit 'un-Zentraedi' for them to do this. It's a bit like being a coward, which we know the Zentraedi are NOT.

On page 18 the editor lady posts a letter about seat belt safety. Can I just point out something in my man/male chauvinistic point of view. This is typical of a woman. She gets a platform and does stuff like this. Just like the issue were she gave the editor's column over to child abuse stuff or the time she gave fandom a lecture on etiquette at conventions I feel she needed to keep a Robotech comic... about Robotech. Thanks for the 'social commentary' but leave that to child abuse magazines or auto industry magazines... lol.

The last page of the comic is a cool, full page shot of Rick's battloid. I don;t think we've seen a page like this (except the dual page spreads).

Robotech #23 (Comico 1987)

Rick uses the Veritech 'head lasers' while he is dealing with the Zentraedi ships inside the SDF-1. This is cool since we rarely see them used.

That VERY young Zentraedi on page 4 always stuck out like a sore thumb to me (even in the show). He seems wayyyyy to innocent to be of a warrior race. Oh well, Khyron took care of that.

On page 9 the Zentraedi says: 'Macek's eyes'... lol.

On page 12 (2nd frame) Rico looks a little... Johnny Depp.

Rick (just like he did in the show) goes from super angry rejection of the aliens wanting to live with the micronians to totally accepting in just a heartbeat. I never understood that.

I thought Minmei's uncle Max was short on the show... he seems even shorter here (on page 17).

There is still a lot of talk of 'drone pods'. Not too sure of that concept...

Robotech #24 (Comico 1987)

On page 3 Rick looks very strange (in the middle frame). Also, how is Rick down there in the hangar as the ship takes off? It appears they are in space and the ship is leaving the hangar.

On the 2nd frame of the next page something strange is going on... I can't figure out where or who that is. I am guessing it's Sammy but who knows...

The Super Veritech looks much cooler in the show than here in comic form. In fact the art for the next several pages (mecha-wise) is very iffy. It looks rushed (perhaps)?

On page 13 is the advertisement for the first Robotech BMG collection. This is what started my soundtrack fun in the Robotech world (check the next-to-last paragraph).

On page 14 Admiral Hayes gives his wife (and Lisa's mother) a name: Gwen.

I love the sounds that some of the arcade machines are making! "Pocketa-pocketa! Zit! Zot! Pez Pez Pez!"

Myria looks a little crappy in these scenes. Perhaps she is having a bad day? Some of the strange characters from the show are here too. What's with the guy with the chain mail mask?

The coloring on page 22 is very strange. It looks like they were trying a new method or something.

Do my eye deceive me or is that Art Carney (aka Ed Norton from the Honeymooners) on page 23 hiding in with all the reporters?

The whole of page 26 is the SDF-1. I like it!

Book 4: Robotech: Battlehymn

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Welcome to the next post in my 2012 Robotech experience. Today I will be covering the fourth book in the Del Ray Robotech series: Battlehymn.

The book covers six episodes but I am watching the show one episode at a time then reading only the part of the book that covers that episode. Finally I will be reading the comic that corresponds to that episode.

The opening chapter is an invention of the author and it deals with what it might have been like to be on Earth when the SDF-1 showed back up after it's long voyage. It was neat to consider the surprise and panic it would have caused.

How even more fantastic would it have been for the people of the city who the SDF-1 first flew over (in the show). That would be awesome!

Yes, the two authors must be doing alternate books. This is the author that paraphrases what's going on as opposed to the other guy who is sticking very close to the show.


One thing I liked is that more emphasis was placed on the SDF-1's departure from Earth. It was a big moment in the story and in the lives of everyone on the ship and it was nice to see it given more here.

Dolza recalls Azonia and puts Breetai back in charge of the mission. If you payed attention you would have noticed that Azonia did absolutely nothing during her command. It was Khyron that kept going in and getting his ass handed to him.

I'd like to know where the spies got the ship to escape back to the fleet... in the previous book they mention that the pod dissolves so no trace is left but no one seems to know where the escape pod came from. My guess is that in the series it is the same pod they arrived in.

When Gloval announces that the SDF-1 has been ordered back into space Minmei breaks out in song... right there in the middle of the newscast. What an entertainer!

The writer makes a goof here when he is writing about Rico and the other spies talking. He says that Rico has only 'one good eye'. It's almost like he got Breetai mixed up with Rico.

When Rick and Lisa are trapped in the SDF-1 during the battle/drill/what the heck ever it was the book doesn't handle it as well as the show. The language is a little more natural but the feelings conveyed are not a 'blooming love' as they appear to be in the show.

I'm still stunned that Breetai would use his own ship and risk its destruction when he tries to get his troops inside the SDF-1 via the Dadelus attack. Seems awful risky...

I don't have a lot more to say about Minmei in this book. She takes a back seat to the action of the spies, Rick and Lisa, as well as the Zentraedi bungling.

It's funny the way the writer deals with previously unaddressed things in this book. Myria sees the defected aliens working right after their arrival on the ship and assumes (wrongly) that they were planted there for sabotage. Khyron is stunned to find out that Myria is there and assumes (wrongly) that she is there to find and kill the defectors. All the while Breetai takes credit for Myria being there, never telling Khyron it wasn't his idea.

RDF Mecha of the Macross Saga

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Today's post in my 2012 Robotech Experience is about the RDF's mecha from Robotech: The Macross Saga (the first 36 episodes).

I wanted to cover the mecha from the Macross saga because they are the most famous of all the mecha of the entire series (with the Cyclones coming in a close 2nd)... for me anyway. I am using the Robotech Role Playing book #1 (1986 Pallidum) for my refrence manual here.

As a side note the images I am using here were drawn by Kevin Long and have always been the standard art for the mecha of the Macross universe. I know that much of this art can be seen in its original form from the Japanese 'This is Animation' series of books but his reinterpretation of the designs are really great! Bravo!

Veritech/Guardian/Battloid

This jet/robot is ofcourse the main 'character' mecha of the series. Shoji Kawamori is credited for the majority of the design for the series Macross (which you all know is the first part of Roboteh here in the states).

As I have stated before the roleplaying books were my first re-introduction to the world of Robotech when I was older and more appreciative of the work. When a ship is yours to control in the game you get to know it fairly well. Pouring over the different mecha in the book to choose the one you are going to use can take up some serious time. The Veritech was the standard since it could get you to all the places where the action was found. I spent time comparing the different abilities of the mecha as well as it's strengths and weaknesses. Mecha with missiles were always my favorites... the more the merrier. The Spartan was the go-to mecha for that but the Super Battloid wasn't far behind. Still, the abilitiy to go far distances made this the winner in the mecha wars (and rightly so).

Spartan

The Spartan has (according to the roleplaying book) has 22 missiles per 'arm'. If you wanted to waste some Zentraedi mecha this was way to do it. Of course you were defensless afterwards! The American writers (I don't know who named what) decided to confuse us by calling this mecha a Spartan which is the original Japanese name of the mecha we know as the Gladiator.

I always thought it was strange that the Veritech was the only transforming mecha in the series. All the other Destroids were non-transforming. The Veritech kinda sticks out like a sore thumb when you compare it to these other guys. It has made me wonder if Macross was built around already existing designs just waiting for the right story... It's possible that these guys were just generic robot designs shelved until a studio came along needing a selection of mecha.

Raidar X

The Raidar X was always the mecha that I skipped on. That and the Gladiator. Not much going on here.

In my youth the importance of the radar equipment on this Destroid was always lost on me. I was looking for something to do more damage than anything else. In the series and the comics the Raidar X is sometimes generically referred to as a Destroid (much to my confusion).

This design has a lot of role-playability if put in the right circumstances. Any of these mecha can be made the focal point of a great gaming session with the right game master running the show.


Excaliber

By far the coolest looking Destorid is the Excaliber. The cannon arms give it quite a punch plus you get a nice mess of missiles to boot! This would be my first choice in a sustained battle in the RPG sessions (if I didn't pick a Veritech.)

Not only do you get the massive cannon-arms but you also ge the shoulder missile pods, chest guns, and upper leg missiles too!

If you remember in one of the eariler episodes when Vermillion Squadron is new Ben has a
lot more missiles attached to his Veritech on the tail fins. This was a Veritech pilots need to have a punch similar to the Excaliber!

Gladiator

This is the least favorite Destroid for me. It's ugly and can't do too much. Infact I always found it strange that the Destroids didn't behave like the Veritechs. The Destroids were more like walking tanks that lacked the finess of the Veritechs (although they have the same technology). The Veritechs can do all sorts of smooth, human-like movements while the Destorids lumber along.

There are a couple of instances (in my mind) where I remeber seeing the Gladiator carrying a mace or club of some sort. I can't remeber if that is shown on the the TV show or something in the books or RPG. I always thought that was kinda strange too. I guess the designers already had a mecha with cannons, missiles, and lasers for arms so they decided to just have a mecha with normal type arms that could hold something.


Mac II Monster

If the Destroids in general seemed out of place along side the Veritechs, the MAC II Monster sticks out even further when compared to everything else. This was always a great mecha for really blasting someone with but it wasn't very action oriented. If you had a really good game master they could make this fun and exciting but for us teens (at the time) this was good only for blasting (or getting blasted apart).

What a massive Destoid! This thing is so much bigger than anything else out there. In a later episode Khyron is riding it like a cowboy. I think the scale was a little off there but never the less this thing towers over all the other mecha and does some devastating damage. It is also a sitting target. Luckily it can take a bit of beating before it is destroyed.

When the Sentinels came out we got some re-envisoned versions of these mecha that were awesome! I am not sure if they got Studio Nue to design them but they really capture the spirit of the originals. I think (just as with the characters) they couldn't use the original Macross designs so they comissioned new deisgns that looked similar to the originals without downright infringing on copyrights.

Vermilion Issues #1-4

by Nathan Stout (of AccordingToWhim.com)

Welcome to my peek into the Robotech Universe in 2012 & 2013! At this point in the Robotech Timeline we are taking a pit stop after Comico issue 14 with the Vermilion mini-series from Antarctic Press. Let's 'press' on... get it?

Vermilion #1 (Antarctic Press 1997)

We start off with a much more modern 'anime' look to these comics. We have been thick in the world of Comico's 80's comic book look and to be thrust into the future of comics is jarring. It's nice, just different.

Duc Tran is our artist here and his style is 'long and skinny'. Everyone look 2 meals shy of anorexic. This is just his style and it looks very artistic... just sayin'.

The art is black and white (which I happen to like) and has a somewhat 'sketch' appearance. There is a lot of cool detail on the character's surroundings.

Page 11 shows the SDF-1 and it looks great! You know how much of a sucker I am for the SDF-1 by now...

Page 17 starts the 'Mospeada Diary' by Joe Weltjens. I don't what to say about this. It is 'written' from Scott Bernard's point of view and is simply a picture (of original animation quality) and a sentence underneath it. There really isn't much here. It is kinda wasted space. It seems they needed several pages of filler and turned it over to Joe.

Vermilion #2 (Antarctic Press 1997)

Joeming Dunn is COO of Antarctic and Ben Dunn is the Publisher. I run into Ben three times a year at Dallas Comicon and trade him Macross/Mospeads stuff for drawings. It works out well for both of us! Anyway Antarctic Press seems to have been Ben's baby and perhaps I will get him in an interview on our main According To Whim Blog one day.

Page 7 is a shot of the bridge. I love those.. and this one has a lot of outer (and inner) detail.

So this RDF guy is in cahoots with Khyron (not really a Zentraedi trait but I'll roll with it).

Ben Dixon makes a cameo on page 12!

The shots of Battlepods on 17 and 19 are very detailed and they look great!

The story stops and on page 21 is Robotech: Unsung Heroes by Brian Farrens. The art work is Joe Weltjens (like the Mospeada Diary from last issue).

The art in this piece looks more 90's 'comic book traditional'.

They call a Legioss 'Legios' so I am not sure. That happens a lot with Robotech, a name will be spelled here one way and there another.

Speaking of there is a cool shot of one on page 23!

Cool shot of Invid on page 24 and 25 too.

Vermilion #3 (Antartic Press 1997)

The story continues with Rick and Lena discovering the hidden Zentraedi ship.

On page 7 there is a shot of a restaurant in Macross and it looks fantastic, such detail! I love attention to detail at this level!

The Bridge Bunnies make an appearance on page 16. They sure are cute...

'Unsung Heroes' picks back up on page 20 with some cool shots of Invid Shock Troopers.

It's over quickly but it looks great all the way. This is some great art!

Vermilion #4 (Antarctic Press 1998)

There is some fantastic artwork throughout this comic. It is very reminiscent of Evangelion in character design with the skinny people but like I said before it's the artist's style.

The overall storyline is good enough but it might have fit better in a large one-shot or perhaps a graphic novel. It's got nice art and the 'extra' characters they added for the story don't stick out like sore thumbs (like some of the Academy stuff).

In this final story Rick and Lena foil Khyron's plans and help expose the traitors.

There is a direct attack on the bridge. We have never seen that before, cool.

Ugh, page 21...

After the story ends we see the end of 'Unsung Heroes'. Right on the first page we get an awesome shot of an Alpha in Battloid mode!

Ouch! This story ends on a super bummer of a note!