Interview: 'All Hail Megatron' author Shane McCarthy
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 12:05 pmComixFan.com staff writer Z. Julian Cenac got a chance to sit down with Shane McCarthy, author of the upcoming series All Hail Megatron, and talk shop with him. The following is the interview taken from comixfan.com.
Comixfan: What is the premise of All Hail Megatron?
Shane McCarthy: The great war is over and the Decepticons have won. We're dealing with the ramifications of a world where the Decepticons are left unchecked. There's no Autobots to stop them, no Optimus Prime to counter Megatron. It's Earth Vs the Decepticon Empire and you can imagine how that might turn out.
That isn't to say you won't see any Autobots in this, of course you will, it's simply the darkest hour in the history of their war. What happened? What brought them to this? Where will this lead? That's what we're dealing with.
CXF: When will the project be released?
SM: The first issue of All Hail Megatron will be released in July. It's a 12 issue maxi series and is set to really put these characters through their paces. Check your latest previews for ordering details.
CXF: With all the various versions of Transformers, are you mainly targeting the hardcore fans, the casual reader, or both?
SM: I'm targeting anyone interested in a really exciting story. You don't need to know anything about the Transformers to enjoy this. Of course, if you're a fan, you'll get more out of it, that's a given. Everything you need to enjoy AHM will be right there in it but, at the same time, there will be layers there for different levels of enjoyment. However, in the end, I'm targeting this to fans of science fiction everywhere.
CXF: Are you a Transformers fan?!
SM: Of course! I have been since I first saw the cartoon as a kid. Giant robots fighting it out for the sake of the galaxy! What's not to like??
CXF: The 80s cartoon is still well-known. Is the Megatron from the show similar to your version in this series?
SM: In some ways yes, in others, no. I'm using the concept of Megatron (which really, at its core, hasn't changed THAT much from the cartoon) as the basis here but, to be completely honest, you'll see some pretty significant changes. You'll see Megatron as more of a leader and inspirer of a greater cause; he'll be the kind of man that you'd definitely want to follow...if you were somewhat homicidal...
CXF: With so many interpretations of Transformers to draw inspiration from, how do you still keep your own artistic voice?
SM: That can be hard, for sure, but I think the important thing is knowing what you want to say and speaking through the hearts of the characters. You have to be individual in your approach, otherwise what's the point? However you also need to make sure you're telling something that's relevant to the characters at hand. With Transformers I actually found it quite easy to find where I wanted to go and what I wanted to say.
CXF: How did you go about researching/plotting this project?
SM: Well first of all a lot of time watching cartoons and reading the books (life is hard isn't it?). I wanted to tell something faithful to the IDW universe but, at the same time, wanted to explore some other areas too, look at things in a slightly different way. More of my time though was spent reading history books and autobiographies of tyrants and conquerers. The biggest influence on this book is human history and the nature of war/leadership.
CXF: What is it like working with Guido Guidi?
SM: Fantastic. We're really excited that we managed to get Guido for this book. The guy's got an incredible eye for detail and, thankfully, doesn't mind it when I get annoyingly pedantic about what I want. He's as committed as I am to tweaking even the smallest details to make this really work. Guido's style adds a weight and depth to the Transformers that was a must for AHM and he's doing some of his best work here.
CXF: All Hail Megatron will take 'Transformers' in a new direction. What was the main reason for shaking up the Transformers universe?
SM: The Transformers universe is a pretty spectacular one. I think there are lot of people that have a love or at least fond memories for the characters but, to be honest, aren't necessarily picking up the book. IDW and, more specifically, Chris Ryall felt it was time to shake things up and try a new direction for the book and decided to throw it over to me. We're certainly not changing EVERYTHING or rebooting the series, it's simply a chance to tell some different stories with a new writer and a new feel. We'll be changing some things, definitely, but nothing that will derail what has gone before.
CXF: When you read Transformers, do you 'hear' the voices from the 80s cartoon?
SM: No I don't. In fact I try to avoid that wherever possible. Some voices, yes, I'll admit I do. But, with AHM, I'm trying to find new voices with old motivations. I know the players and the roles they play but this certainly won't sound like an old 80s cartoon. To begin with, maybe, you might be led to believe it's similar, however my intention with this book is to start somewhere you're accustomed to and quickly move it into areas you wouldn't necessarily expect.
CXF: Transformers: Focus on Decepticons is available now, and All Hail Megatron begins this July.
To view the original posting for this artcle, please click here.
Comixfan: What is the premise of All Hail Megatron?
Shane McCarthy: The great war is over and the Decepticons have won. We're dealing with the ramifications of a world where the Decepticons are left unchecked. There's no Autobots to stop them, no Optimus Prime to counter Megatron. It's Earth Vs the Decepticon Empire and you can imagine how that might turn out.
That isn't to say you won't see any Autobots in this, of course you will, it's simply the darkest hour in the history of their war. What happened? What brought them to this? Where will this lead? That's what we're dealing with.
CXF: When will the project be released?
SM: The first issue of All Hail Megatron will be released in July. It's a 12 issue maxi series and is set to really put these characters through their paces. Check your latest previews for ordering details.
CXF: With all the various versions of Transformers, are you mainly targeting the hardcore fans, the casual reader, or both?
SM: I'm targeting anyone interested in a really exciting story. You don't need to know anything about the Transformers to enjoy this. Of course, if you're a fan, you'll get more out of it, that's a given. Everything you need to enjoy AHM will be right there in it but, at the same time, there will be layers there for different levels of enjoyment. However, in the end, I'm targeting this to fans of science fiction everywhere.
CXF: Are you a Transformers fan?!
SM: Of course! I have been since I first saw the cartoon as a kid. Giant robots fighting it out for the sake of the galaxy! What's not to like??
CXF: The 80s cartoon is still well-known. Is the Megatron from the show similar to your version in this series?
SM: In some ways yes, in others, no. I'm using the concept of Megatron (which really, at its core, hasn't changed THAT much from the cartoon) as the basis here but, to be completely honest, you'll see some pretty significant changes. You'll see Megatron as more of a leader and inspirer of a greater cause; he'll be the kind of man that you'd definitely want to follow...if you were somewhat homicidal...
CXF: With so many interpretations of Transformers to draw inspiration from, how do you still keep your own artistic voice?
SM: That can be hard, for sure, but I think the important thing is knowing what you want to say and speaking through the hearts of the characters. You have to be individual in your approach, otherwise what's the point? However you also need to make sure you're telling something that's relevant to the characters at hand. With Transformers I actually found it quite easy to find where I wanted to go and what I wanted to say.
CXF: How did you go about researching/plotting this project?
SM: Well first of all a lot of time watching cartoons and reading the books (life is hard isn't it?). I wanted to tell something faithful to the IDW universe but, at the same time, wanted to explore some other areas too, look at things in a slightly different way. More of my time though was spent reading history books and autobiographies of tyrants and conquerers. The biggest influence on this book is human history and the nature of war/leadership.
CXF: What is it like working with Guido Guidi?
SM: Fantastic. We're really excited that we managed to get Guido for this book. The guy's got an incredible eye for detail and, thankfully, doesn't mind it when I get annoyingly pedantic about what I want. He's as committed as I am to tweaking even the smallest details to make this really work. Guido's style adds a weight and depth to the Transformers that was a must for AHM and he's doing some of his best work here.
CXF: All Hail Megatron will take 'Transformers' in a new direction. What was the main reason for shaking up the Transformers universe?
SM: The Transformers universe is a pretty spectacular one. I think there are lot of people that have a love or at least fond memories for the characters but, to be honest, aren't necessarily picking up the book. IDW and, more specifically, Chris Ryall felt it was time to shake things up and try a new direction for the book and decided to throw it over to me. We're certainly not changing EVERYTHING or rebooting the series, it's simply a chance to tell some different stories with a new writer and a new feel. We'll be changing some things, definitely, but nothing that will derail what has gone before.
CXF: When you read Transformers, do you 'hear' the voices from the 80s cartoon?
SM: No I don't. In fact I try to avoid that wherever possible. Some voices, yes, I'll admit I do. But, with AHM, I'm trying to find new voices with old motivations. I know the players and the roles they play but this certainly won't sound like an old 80s cartoon. To begin with, maybe, you might be led to believe it's similar, however my intention with this book is to start somewhere you're accustomed to and quickly move it into areas you wouldn't necessarily expect.
CXF: Transformers: Focus on Decepticons is available now, and All Hail Megatron begins this July.
To view the original posting for this artcle, please click here.