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Synopsis
FROSTY RECEPTION! THE WRECKERS journey to Nome, Alaska to track down the number one suspect in PROWL’s disappearance—their former human ally, VERITY CARLO!
Who doesn't seem at her best, really...
Story
The holiday period has brought the second chapter in this new, updated Wreckers story, which deals with the old, outdated motives and reasoning of the Wreckers - and all the terrible terrible things they did at some point. Oh, and somehow Prowl - of course - is involved too. How does the story hold up?
On subtle threads
The Noisemaze and Prowl's mind are explored a little further, as Nick Roche digs into the four-letter-P-word's ego and dreams (no electric sheep, unless they're in perfect, precise order), but despite the creepiness of off-panel Tarantulas Mesothulas, we're not looking at the core of the issue just yet. Though we also are, in another way. It's complicated, okay?
See? Complex dialogue
From the preview shown, there is nothing I want to say here that might spoil the enjoyment of the various reveals along the way, as the Chimeracons are a bit of a treat and a half, drawing from a range of sources close to Roche's enjoyment as a consumer of Transformers fiction - and it really shows in the rationale behind their presence here, too.
Not shown here
I am not entirely convinced at how some of the established characters are being used by Roche, especially in the case of Arcee - who while still has all the possible valid reasons to be suspicious of practically everyone involved in the book, still manages to have a ..peculiar exchange with Springer much later in the book. I may just be reading it the wrong way, however, so don't hold me to that.
Art
Roche is definitely having fun, balancing his writing with the attention he pays to his art. Again, there are many many spoilers that would come out of spending too much time on what he does with the design of a number of characters across the issue, but the action is nicely fluid, dynamic and hopping off the page with organic vitality.
Can you bear the suspense?
Josh Burcham, additionally, plays with the sudden shifts of setting, both interior and internal, past and present, through flashbacks, PTSD-esque scenes and panels focused on Springer and Kup, and some seriously vibrant and slightly disturbing colours in eye-shades, Energon spillages, and.. yeah. Alaska and the team's past are very different palettes. Very.
Oh dear
In Tom B. Long's lettering work, we find the new cast of characters find their own voices, as shown in Mesothulas's scenes, the heightened scenes with some of the characters, and a smattering of SHEEEEAAAGGGHs across the book, too. On the cover front, we have a similar selection to issue 1, Roche and Burcham bring Stakeout close to the action, guest Stephen Mooney with Burcham show the still misfitting Arcee, and Andrew Griffith also teams up with Burcham for another LSTOW-centric variant (thumbnailed).
Thoughts Spoilerish ahead
As you've seen until now, there is a lot in this issue which I really do not want to talk about too openly in a review, giving a chance to readers to appreciate in their own time and on their own reading - but, that said, if you're a fan of Beast Wars in any of its incarnations, and even some Armada, why not, you may just want to pick this up for the smug smirk factor.
I have to show this again
The story is proceeding with enough mystery and dangling threads that it feels it could very much head *anywhere* from here. It also is a fairly dense read, with some seriously serious moments underpinned by dark, bleak humour, especially in the over-bulked shape of Guzzle, and confirms some of what Roche was saying in terms of LSTOW being a super-edit - there is a lot going on here, take your time, it's very much worth it.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Most badass looking Transformer toys
This was probably the most fun I had making a list since I simply spent a bunch of time perusing galleries looking for pictures to prove how badass some Transformers toys can look. This list will inevitably be light on writing since in this case a picture is worth more than my words. I am lucky to be writing these lists for a site which is known for its galleries and I encourage you all to write your lists on which Transformers Toys look badass with some pictures in the discussion. So without further ado, here are what I find to be the most badass looking Transfromers toys.
You would think G1 toys wouldn't look very badass since most can't move well but that would mean ignoring some of the most badass designs ever. Predaking and Powermaser Optimus are brimming with guns and sharp metal (and teeth for Predaking). They both look like emissaries for death either swooping down or revving up towards you. I couldn't choose which looked more badass because they are indeed both bricks with a combining gimmick, and an equally badass alt mode (don't mess with Tantrum!), and both have weapons EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!
For some reason, having a visor instead of optics, which helps hide emotion, just brings the badass level to 11 (think Robocop) and a lot of the picks on this list have that (total coincidence I realized as I wrote this down) like Roadbuster here. While the whole design is badass, what I love are the accessories he comes with. You could turn his alt mode into a Mad Max like vehicle with all the added artillery and it's just so fun all the weapon combinations you could come up with in any mode. I especially love having the missile pod on one of his shoulders (Thew has a great rundown of all the possibilities).
That deal with the visor I was talking about earlier comes to full effect on this Onslaught toy. Those shoulders are insane with the alt mode's ramming spikes climbing to the heavens with his back cannons completing the look. This toy doesn't combine to form Bruticus and he clearly doesn't need to, I am already shi#&ing my pants.
Ok, before we get to this, how many of you know of Peter Freuchen, the most badass man to ever live? Here is the most awesome and brief history lesson you will ever have (brought to you by me and kottke.org):
Standing six feet seven inches, with a magnificent beard, Freuchen was an arctic explorer (among many other things). He participated in several arctic journeys (including a 1000-mile dogsled trip across Greenland), had a peg leg (he lost his leg to frostbite in 1926; he amputated his gangrenous toes himself), was involved in the Danish resistance against Germany and was imprisoned and sentenced to death by the Nazis before escaping to Sweden. My favourite part of his life is when he was trapped in an ice cave where he would certainly die, so he fashioned an icepick out of his frozen poop to escape. Oh and if the peg leg and beard didn't give it away, in his older years he became a whaler ship captain. While the harpoon launcher was invented, he preferred whale hunting the old fashion way which means driving up to the whale and manually stabbing the harpoon into it.
This is how he looked like.
I don't know about you, but that pic totally makes me think of this toy:
Oh man! That toy always looked like Optimus woke up between those millions of years stuck on earth and explored out during the ice age by himself, where he skinned Mammoths to keep warm (and eventually went back to the volcano to keep sleeping and never spoke of this to anyone). He totally gives me a Norse viking/seasoned arctic explorer vibe ala Peter Freuchen. Just look at this picture from Hisashi Yuki, the Takara designer who made this toy:
And the best part is that Hasbro (freaken Hasbro for once!) made the most badass redeco of this already insanely badass looking toy. They gave him a Nemesis Prime deco with ... blood soaked tusks !
Honourable Mentions: Please let us know which toys you find most badass as I am sure there are more than the ones I mentioned. Here's another, for instance:
Synopsis
HOLIDAYS IN THE STARS! Three stories about three casts and three unique holiday adventures! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll never look at CYBERTRON—or the holidays—the same way again!
I just had to
Windblade Story: Mairghread Scott
Channelling her best Dr Seuss, Scott manages to blend the mischievous, narcissistic, egotistic nature of Starscream with the seasonal tradition Grinch, and to wonderful effect. It doesn't stray from the characterisation we have seen in recent IDW runs, it taps into some of the plot points, too - and it's filled with wonderful cameos, executed by...
Art & Colours: Corin Howell, Thomas Teyowisonte Deer
...Howell, who returns for the one-off after her stint on Windblade, capturing the spirit of the tale and the cartoonishly exaggerated features of the cast involved, with the spin of the Grinch tale. We see the Tankors, Blurr and the new Maccadam crew, Waspinator - all the usual suspects we've come to appreciate on the streets of Cybertron, in the suitably coloured, and wonderfully so, by Thomas Deer. Even in the darkness of what I imagine is Cybertronian sort of winter, we get some great glows of warmth and tone.
More Than Meets the Eye Story: James Roberts
In a slightly similar, but really quite different way, Roberts takes us aboard the Lost Light, where the festivities are masquerading as something entirely foreign, scientific (or magic, if you ask Rodimus), spacey-wacey, and utterly ridiculous, with the theme of mainstream Christmas traditions seeping in in an overt (to the reader) way...
Art & Colours: Kotteri, Joana Lafuente
...from carols, such as the one titling the story, to various iconography we associate with festive customs, from trees to crackers, to party hats, singing, and the general merryment. In order to so, the tale introduces fan-favourite fan-artist Kotteri (seen on previous variant covers) to interiors, and bringing some proper fan-fuel to the expressions and qualities to the crew of the ship - no one excluded. Lafuente's colours, a regular mainstay in the Transformers universe created by IDW, show the full versatility of her as an artist too, adapting and complementing the new style smoothly and pleasingly.
The Transformers Story: John Barber
A criminally good in how bad it intentionally is, the noir-esque take that Barber brings to the holidays is a pleasure to immerse yourself into. Doing something that diverges from the previous two tales, the writing plays with a number of genre conventions, while clearly self-nominating for the meta-award of the year (yes, it even tops Roberts' Swerve). And just as it does in writing...
Art & Colours: Josh Burcham
...so it carries itself fantastically well visually, with regular colourist Burcham making another interior appearance. And boy does he pop on the page, mixing the voices of Barber's choice for Thundercracker's work into styles, layouts and composition - then topping it all with colour. A truly enjoyable home-cooked meal for the optics.
Thoughts overall
It's fun. It's lighthearted. It's cheesy and corny and message-y and the writers clearly really enjoyed playing around with tradition, storytelling, and style techniques. It's everything a filler Holiday Special should really be. If you're a fan of the lighter side of any of the three series, if you like writers who poke fun at their own work, themselves, and have fond memories of TV show specials, this is definitely one not to miss in your reading library.
A note on the letterer, Tom B. Long, who has provided masterful framing and cherrying of the three stories throughout - in particular for The Transformers' section by Barber and Burcham - to Agnes Garbowska, the variant cover artist, and to Casey Coller and Lafuente again, for the thumbnailed main cover. Tip of the (Santa) hat to you all. And as Buster would say, WOOF.
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW ALL Spoiler-Free-ish
Synopsis
MIND GAMES! The crew of the Lost Light are caught off guard when a dead friend appears out of the blue. But there's no time for a happy reunion: someone else has found his way onto the ship—someone with the power to tear the crew apart.
Yeah, way too soon to celebrate guys….
Story so Far
Well, just when you thought you knew it all, Roberts finds a way to make you question everything you thought you knew, and he certainly had me scratching my head at times during this read. It really didn’t pick up where the last left off, but rather steered the ship into whole new waters. We learn of some pasts that we wanted to know and some we never thought we’d see coming. And it was not at all what I expected, but it made me think, it made me go back through and take a look at what I thought I knew. This one made me question some things, and I am not sure at this time if I could give many answers.
Me about this time
Now I was disappointed in the amount of storytelling continuity between issue 47 and this one, but I can say I was somewhat satisfied by the topic that we did plunge into, and that we will finally be getting our answers. Issues 47-49 more feel like slight tidying up issues that Roberts thought he’d have more time to tell but doesn’t, so he’s rushing a bit. So the story does suffer a bit due to it, but it is still tackling the taboo that we have thought about for years, so -1 for speed but +2 for our questions being fulfilled?
Art
With Alex Milne still suffering a leg injury, art this issue is covered by the extremely talented newcomer Hayato Sakamoto, and he brings his A-game to the table this issue. He has a lot to draw, not mention some very scary and very dastardly disgusting stuff to work with, but he takes in stride and doesn’t give an inch! He forged through with no issues whatsoever and very much continues to impress me.
Yeah Rung, that’s how I’d feel staring into death itself too!
Joana Lafuente once again picks up coloring duties and the darkness of the story mixed with the bright hope and fire burning within some of our friends here makes for some stunning images, both grim and shining. Lettering is done once again by Tom B. Long, but his time he has some help with the aid of Chris Mowry, and both do a masterful job of giving life to this book, the words, and the memory issues that Skids has fought for oh so long. It truly is the lettering though, that opens up Skids properly and finally for all of us to see though.
Yeah, this proves every point right here
Thoughts, with some spoilers ahead…
Well, We are finally getting our answers, and it seems that some of them are what we thought, and yet some are nowhere near what we could ever imagine. And let alone what the end of the issue means for us going forward, Youch! Poor Rung, and poor Skids. As his memories are ripped open for all to see, I can begin to see tragedy ahead that will bring him closer to a few of his crewmates than ever before, and potential conflict with one in particular. Darkness is descending on the Lost Light, and as we speed ever faster towards Dying of the Light, I can only hope that we still have the crew we started with to hold off the darkness and give the Lost Light some new light.
Pretty much how my head feels
Overall, good issue, very good ready, amazing art, and some answers begin to come out. The major thing that lets this issue down is how it kind of tossed out some things needed to wrap up 47, but that isn’t enough to cripple it too badly.
“I'd argue there isn't actually a lot of nostalgia here. I'd argue that every page, every moment is built on innovation. And Tom's looking to the past for some of the cues, but what he's actually building is what comics will be like in the future, not the past.”
“I think every page, every panel of this comic is Tom on a tightrope without a net, and he's trying a complicated jump that he's never really done before.”
I don’t think truer words have been spoken about this title… Or there's that.
THE SYNOPSIS (what’s the, so far)-
OPTIMUS PRIME returns—-in time to fall to Megatron. Now the undisputed ruler of Cybertron, the Decepticon leader has impaled the planet Earth. The surviving G.I. Joe team remains on the alien planet, confronting a harsh new reality: there is no hope.
THE STORY-
Subtle reminder: each issue of TF VS GIJOE is meant to be read as a stand alone adventure, but there is a string and overall story running through. Last issue was an issue about Destro’s past, nay his entire family history, and how it was effected and changed by the ark even with the Transformers lying dormant.
This issue picks up a bit after #8… when that very big thing happened to Earth with those very long spikes coming from Cybertron. Oh and that other big event where you-know-who bad guy seemed to destroy the just-returned-savior good guy. Believe it or not it's all about change though. Adapting.
We are BORG...
In this installment, the Joes are learning how to survive on their new home. Cobras and Deceptions are celebrating their victory and alliance. There’s some history explained and a cool prose only story included at the end.
ART-
Tom Scioli provides it all—lines, inks, colors— with unique perspectives, and daring visuals to push the story boundaries. Often criticized, and rarely understood, Scioli continues to work his vision channeling so much from resources obscure and not obscure.
Of note, though, is the fantastically detailed, gorgeous subscription variant cover of a gargantuan Metroplex done by Ulises Farinas. Just pick-your-jaw-up-off-the-floor awesome!
I serve the will of the Primes...
MY THINKS- Contains spoilers SPOILERS...sad face
I’ve been critical. I understand the criticisms. But something about this being an otherworldly ‘What If’, ‘Elseworlds’-type, ‘Deviations’ if you will story… makes it all okay, and (mostly) acceptable. I read comics for enjoyment, and this series, never seems to fail in surprising me--although, I'm not sure I would characterize how I interact with this series so much as 'enjoyment'. I love to read the mainstream stories much more than this. But this has its place for me, and maybe it has found its place for you. I read on to see what Tom and John can come up with—what they 'cook' up—. And after I have my own thoughts, I like to read their banter on what inspired their choices when it's done.
I seem to remember it differently. I got a V.A.M.P., Starscream, and Prowl that year. It was the best though.
Speaking of cooking up, this issue doesn’t disappoint, it's a gourmet feast for the eyes and mind. With a few, ‘oh-no-you-didn’t’ moments that may just have you shaking your head, one we already saw in the preview—Megatron becoming a connoisseur of human flesh now…and the poisoned feast…W..O..W! There's also clever dialogue dropping some excellent one-linersn for easing those hard to take moments.
We all knew that there were Autobot and Decepticon chefs and bakers, right? CONFEKTOR...bake!
Hit and Run is one of my all-time favorite Joes, stating the obvious.
For me, the most interesting parts of this issue came near the end. I’ll try not to spoil it for those reading the series, but there are some really thought-provoking Transformers history moments presented with verbal and visual references that any fan of the brand, and pre-brand will embrace with a sense of interest and a little awe… at least I did.
I'm a chef too...I cook up life!
AND THE BONUS-
At the very end of the issue we get a nice bonus, instead of the normal Barber and Scioli back and forth breaking down pages and giving us the behind-the-scenes, we get a short-story called ‘Black Cybertron’ (along the lines of the now infamous Wreckers story,‘Bullets’) involving Ravage, Snake-Eyes, Shockwave, and the cassettes. A journey into Hades or is it the workshop of Daedalus? Either way, it shows the length that some will take for a loved one...loved one...really? Expect the unexpected.
FINAL THOUGHT-
If you’re still with TF VS GIJOE, you know what to expect, and that’s to not know what to expect! This issue doesn’t disappoint, but adds a great morsel for consumption at the end.
The year 2015 is nearing its end, and the Seibertron.com community has started its holiday suspensions, but some stragglers remain in Transtopia too, as we get a new round of customs, mods, fixes, paintjobs, artwork pieces, fiction, photocomics, manipulated images and even some scratch designs. Check out below what has been happening in the past two weeks, in this final round-up of the year - and make sure to comment if you like what you see!
THE HELP DESK
That guy Mindmaster is looking for suggestion for a Shockwave (but not really) custom - leave your tips here!
It is unquestionable that THE event of the year (2015) in Transfromers toys is Generations Devastator. Unlike almost every other Hasbro toy out there, Takara's version was not just a change in deco but a significant change in the articulation of the figures. Every single figure has extra/different parts to improve on articulation and there are even differences for Devastator as a whole. We could never know the extent until these were released and now that they are I can finally give an illustrated rundown of exactly what is new with Takara's take on Devastator. The pictures come from Seibertron, Dengeki Hobby, Alfes and myself (sorry for the shadows. I don't have a lightbox).
Articulation
The new articulation is broken down with a stock image of the Hasbro version first so that you can see the change right after. You will see that the shots showing the Takara version have the Constructicons holding their own individual weapons, which are unique to each Constructicon. This inclusion is one of the main extra features of the Takara set.
Elbows on Longhaul
Hasbro
Takara
Elbows on Scrapper
Hasbro
Takara
The elbows do lock for combined mode so there is absolutely no stability issue either now or down the line due to their inclusion.
Extra inner arm piece for Hook
Hasbro
Takara
Hasbro's elbow is preserved, making it a double elbow.
Extra inner arm piece for Mixmaster
Hasbro
Takara
Hasbro's elbow is preserved, making it a double elbow.
They call him Master, Mixmaster
Different knee joint for Scavenger
Hasbro
Takara
You can see here how the ball joint is replaced by an extra piece connected on a mushroom peg. This makes the knee bend at the actual knee and not the lower thigh. It also provides a slight increase in articulation. This is also present on Bonecrusher.
Different knee joint for Bonecrusher
Hasbro
Takara
Notice how the pelvic area is tabbed in correctly. If you hear the click, it will be rock solid and not undo itself when playing with or posing the figure. This seems to be an issue Takara fixed (at least on my version). As shown with Scavenger, the knee joint is different. However, while the knee bends at the correct area, the final result looks about the same when the knee is bent at 90 degrees, which you can see below.
Takara
I am unaware if the different knee will help achieve any new poses that people have been wanting to do. For those interested, this is explored further in the conversation we had on the Seibertron forum.
Devastator
New Head
The head lets you switch from one look to the next.
Ratcheted armpits/shoulders
I don't know what to call this specific joint but this is the joint used when extending Devastator's arms outward. It is ratcheted now, by having the connector pieces of Scavenger and Bonecrusher ratcheted, and helps counter gravity when doing poses that extend Devastator's arms so that they do not fall.
Mixmaster's cab
Mixmaster's alt mode has been the most controversial element of Generations Devastator due to the orientation of the cement drum being reversed compared to the original (since it is supposed to resemble a bigger cement mixer). This means that the front of the Hasbro version has more paint apps than the cab found in the back. Takara doesn't seem to fully agree with this change as evident in the mount of paint applications they added to that back cab.
Hasbro
Takara
You will notice that Takara included a faction symbol on this cab. This is important since this would make it the only faction symbol not facing forward head on if Mixmaster was oriented the Hasbro way. Scrapper himself has his faction symbol facing forward by being in his shovel, unlike the Hasbro version, adding to the theme of the placement of the symbols. Also, the individual guns can be placed on the alt modes to give each vehicle an offensive edge. Mixmaster's is placed on that back cab which would have his gun facing away from the action if he were oriented like Hasbro intended.
The intended orientation becomes very evident in a group shot. Here is the SDCC version of Hasbro's Devastator:
Here is Takara's and you tell me what works best.
This:
Or this:
To conclude, here is a rundown of the major changes with Takara's Devastator (UW-04):
6 unique individual weapons
New parts for improved articulation on all Constructicons (knees, elbows or double elbows)
Purple hands for Devastator
New tooling for Devastator's head to switch from visor to visor-less look
Ratchets when extending Devastator's arms outward
Different choice and distribution of paint applications (especially on Bonecrusher's robot mode and Mixmaster's alt mode)
Painted rims
Seibertron.com returns once more to interview the latest addition to the IDW creative teams, in light of the work that has already appeared and will return in the Spring - Camiens, Cybertronians and other colonists, please welcome Sara Pitre-Durocher, cover artist, interiors on Combiner Hunters and The Transformers, and soon to be appearing on Till All Are One!
Va'al - Sara, thank you for taking the time to talk to us, even across a screen and at a continent's distance. It's truly a pleasure. I believe the best place to start, for everyone to get to know you, is from the very beginning: how did Transformers first enter your life?
Sara - My pleasure! Thanks for having me!
I was raised in the late 80s with an older brother so Transformers were constantly a part of my life's background as a kid. I didn't particularly care for them back then (I was more intent on liking different things than my brother, really) but some of the classic scenes from the first few episodes, which he had recorded on tape and played in loop every moment of every day, really left an impression on me. As in I could almost quote the episodes when I watched them many years later.
When Beast Wars came on (well... Beasties, I mean) I was a fan, but Transformers Prime is really what got me hooked on everything Transformers.
Va'al - That is a peculiar, but also familiar, triple way of getting into the fiction! Was there any other form of the franchise that made into your home, alongside the series? Any toys, comics, stickers, posters - or was that a much later thing too?
Sara - Oh yeah, it absolutely took over almost instantly. It wasn't long before I started doing research on past Transformers series, animated or otherwise. I watched the '86 movie before watching G1, so that was a bit confusing but amazing at the same time? I read as many old comics as I could get my hands on and caught up with IDW's.
My toy collection is a never-ending work in progress, but I have a few shelves filled up now. My wardrobe didn't escape the giant-robot-makeover, either..! It eventually got to a point where I wanted the franchise to take over my professional life as well.
Va'al - So during your 'gotta catch em all' time as a fan and researcher of sorts, what was the one thing that stood out? Did you love any of the parts of the franchise specifically (toys over comics, comics over cartoons), or was it all-encompassing?
Sara - I really had to think about this one and haven't been able to come up with a proper answer, so I suppose that means I just love everything equally? (I almost feel like a parent being asked which of my kids I like the best..!) But really, each part of the franchise satisfies a different need, and I find myself just as excited for a new episode to come out, a new comic, a new figure or new game...! It's just really inspiring to see what's being created with these characters, in whatever shape or form.
In a way I think it's important for me to stay updated on all of these too, to get a vibe of what other fans are into and what they're hoping for next.
Va'al - It's always good to see that even fans who make it to the professional level remain attached to their nature as fan! In terms of your professional life, how did that come about? Did you set yourself the goal of working with Transformers, and art came later, or did you start as an artist, and brought Transformers into it?
Sara - I honestly never imagined that my life would ever take this turn. When I decided to pursue art about 13 years ago, my original "plan" was just to work hard, make art, and somehow make a living out of it. I was never working up to an objective or anything.
When I got properly acquainted with Transformers, it's like a little light went off; I HAD to work on it. Anything. And I won't lie, a lot of this has to do with a good sense of timing and just pure luck, since at the time that I got the courage to ask my boss (at Volta, Concept art studio) if it would be possible to look for work for the Transformers Franchise, DeNA's Transformers Legends was just starting its production. It pretty much all stemmed from there; Hasbro, who had seen our work on the game, then contacted us to work on coloring their packaging and marketing art. I art-directed on colors for both projects, and painted quite a lot myself as well.
Eventually I set my sights on the comics; at first I just wanted to do variant covers, but when John Barber asked if I'd be interested in doing interior art as well I jumped on the opportunity! So at this point it has really switched around; before, art came first and I introduced Transformers to it, but now I feel like I just want to work for the franchise as much as I can, in any medium.
Va'al - That is a really cool story, and spanning so many incarnations of the franchise already. As a concept artist, and the hands behind the Torchbearers designs, what is your peak Transformers fan/artist moment?
Sara - Oh boy, that's a tough one. There are so many moments that have left huge impressions on me, but I think the best is when I walked into the convention center at San Diego Comic Con this summer, and a lot of work I had done in the past year was displayed everywhere at the Hasbro booth. Combiner Hunters premiered at the event as well, so it was just a whole bunch of my Transformers work everywhere at once..! It was kind of overwhelming but...yeah, the best.
Va'al - So now that you're in the IDW realm, how does it feel to be working with the brand and the people associated with it? Are there any big differences between, say, John Barber and Mairghread Scott (for writing), or Josh Perez and Yamaishi (for colouring)?
Sara - It's been really great so far, everyone's very supportive and encouraging. I expected to feel like the new kid at school trying to fit in with all the popular kids (and still I kinda do) but they were quick to welcome me to the IDW family! I can't wait to meet everyone in person so we can create our own secret handshakes.
This is what it probably looks like
As for John and Mairghread, they both work in a way that makes my life really easy; they give precise scripts and panel descriptions while still giving me some breathing space for my own artistic input. Working with Yamaishi and Josh has been even easier, I just let them work their magic...! They have very strikingly different coloring styles but both manage to bring so much life and emotion through the pages, it's really amazing to see.
Va'al - So the next thing planned is Till All Are One, continuing the Windblade and ex-colonies stories. What should we expect from the series? Is there anything you can tell us already, or are excited about seeing in print?
Sara - Not sure how much I can say about the ongoing, but so far I've been loving the diversity of the cast I get to play with. Each colony represented in the new Council of Worlds is so unique and has its own set of values, so there will certainly be some culture clash going on there. It certainly doesn't help that Starscream's still being his usual charming Starscream-y self.
Sneak preview!
I'm mostly looking forward to the development of that thing we see at the end of Windblade. You know the thing. With those characters? Yeah.
Va'al - Ah, yes, that will be brutiful, to say the least! Are there any other projects you're currently working on, or about to take on with the new year - Transformers-related or otherwise?
Sara - My main project right now is just to adjust to this new lifestyle; working on comics from home is much different from the 8 to 5 office job I'd gotten used to for the past 10 years..! That includes trying to make it to a bunch of conventions next year, and get some prints ready. I really have no idea where to start, but thankfully I have other IDW buddies helping out! Other than that I'm hoping to get a shot at covers for some of the other IDW comics. I'd particularly love to work on a TMNT one, but we'll see!
Va'al - Sara, we wish you all the best in your shapeshifting robot and mutant turtle-shaped futures! Is there anything you want to add for our readers? Anywhere they can find and follow more of your work?
Sara - Thank you so much!
There's a Facebook page for my art and other Transformers news, like conventions and commissions and such, at https://www.facebook.com/spewpew. I do my best to stay up to date on there, but I'll more often post art on my tumblr account, spewpew.tumblr.com, or at my Twitter, @saralepew.
It's mostly really dumb, but hey.
Va'al - We'll make sure readers know! It has been a pleasure, and thank you for taking the time to have this chat with us. Looking forward to more robots, more stories and more covers in the near future.
Sara - Awesome, thanks so much!! It was my pleasure!
Make sure to follow Sara's work across the ongoings, and prepare to see her art again in Till All Are One in the new year! Thank you all for reading, and let us know what you think of the interview in the Energon Pub. For Seibertron.com, this is Va'al, signing out.
Synopsis
Hot on the heels of completing their biggest mission ever, BUMBLEBEE and his team are hoping for a little downtime. Unfortunately… a sinister new DECEPTICON has other ideas—and it’s right back into full-throttle, 100%-adventure down the rip-roaring RID road!
Ring-a-ding-ding-dinga-ding-ding-dong!
Story
Picking up after season 1 of the Robots in Disguise cartoon, this comic gives us a little look at what has happened since the big finale. We’ve got some fun looks at what the team is now trying to do after defeating a great evil, and we even see some nice character interaction. And of course we see Sideswipe ridiculing Bee for his speech patterns, but that should not be spoilerish by now.
Business as usual ‘round here
On the flip side, Steeljaw once again finds himself abandoned and in need of assistance, and he finds some in very surprising ways and places. Who knew that so many years after prime, we would get some callbacks, and even some inside jokes for those who love a good nameless drone?
But where’s Gary???
[underline]Art[/underline]
Art duties for the issue are taken up by both Priscilla Tramontano & Travis Sengaus, with inks being provided by a large cast including John-Paul Bove, Josh Burcham, Joana Lafuente, & Priscilla Tramontano. Inks are, as usual, provided by Tom B. Long, and despite the mix of artists and colorists, we get an issue that really has uniform shape and beauty, and no real difference between the art. But the one thing that stood out for me: Steeljaw’s nose is a thing of beauty!
Cranky old wolf
Not to mention the fact that there are some awesome slashes and hacks going on here. The quiet, peaceful moments and the times of chaos and destruction are all beautiful in their own way, and the issue overall carries on the proud tradition of good art RiD had given us.
SQUIRREL!!!!!
Thoughts Spoilerish ahead
Overall, the issue was quite good. Not as big as it could be, but still impressive nonetheless. Afterall, we are picking up in the aftermath of season 1, so it’s hard to get the ball rolling again. At least Bee found and likes his new rollout call, and at least Grimlock is trying to find some new disguises. As the first issue in a new series of books, it starts off well, and it has a nice setup for the remainder of this series that has looked and performed really well story wise.
CHOOOOO-CHOOOOOO!!!!
Overall, not bad, and this certainly has the potential for a great storyline to come.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 most needed G1 reissues
This list is pretty easy and needs almost no introduction. With G1 reissues being trendy again through the Platinum line, there are some I want Hasbro to release (some of which would be for the first time actually), and this list details them with some fun pics. What all these have in common is a fun playability aspect that G1 seemed to do really well and has been hard to replicate since, at least at that level. Let me know which ones you would like to see a rerelease (doesn't mater if it's already been rereleased as that hasn't stopped them). Hasbro is known to check these boards, so make it count! Seibertron has a bunch of galleries of the rarer toys so be sure to check them out and populate the discussion with pictures showcasing the beauty of these older toys which you feel need to be brought back.
The Headmasters were based on a fun gimmick that started the idea (along with Target Masters) of smaller Transformers interacting with larger ones (which became the entire gimmick of the Armada line and has remained a staple in one way or another). With the Headmasters, the little robot was a pilot for the larger robot's alt mode.
Since these toys were targeted at young children and older collectors weren't such a common occurrence, these smaller robots were often lost just as other accessories for any other toy is often lost. However, these were a far more unfortunate loss than a gun or even the other smaller robots which turned into guns (Target Masters) because these tiny robots Transformed into the larger robot's head.
Thus, while these toys are fun for the new level of interactivity, it is very hard for others to experience these old toys today since there are far more headless bodies available, to the point where the head will cost as much if not more than the larger Transformer body. What would be awesome is if Hasbro just rereleased a bunch of heads but I would be more than content with a reissue of the full headmasters.
Japan was always more into train robots than the west/Hasbro was, with an entire Tomy line devoted to trains (which is the line Omega Supreme was designed for, and a line still existing today). It only makes sense that Takara would have a large train combiner that never got brought over by Hasbro. What is amazing about Raiden is that unlike the micromaster train combiners that came after (which Hasbro did eventually release), all the train cars could link to one another. This has never been done since in the Transformers line (Power Rangers did it, but those toys didn't come out in the west either). You could actually have this six car train and play with it as any other toy train and then separate them from one another and combine them into a really large robot. The angular train cars give the robot a very uniform look which many combiners fail to do.
Oh man, this is the motherload of G1 excellence. I feel best to just give you the pictures below and leave you with this quote from fellow Seibertronian member Morphbots:
morphbots wrote:When I was younger, living at home without the responsibilities of "adult" life, I went on a tear tracking down as many G1 Asian exclusives as possible before my window of opportunity closed. Even though I was able to score a Grand Maximus during that time, Overlord is without a doubt the crown jewel of that search. He defies categorization, being a Godmaster, A Duocon, a city-former, and a triple-changer all in one.
Below is breakdown of some of the many features described above along with some gorgeous images. Just rerelease this already! Someone, anyone!
This toy is primarily made up of a tank and a cybertronian jet, both of which comes with little robots o pilot them.
While each could fit in the cockpits, there was another port to insert them in on the vehicles.
You could combine these two vehicles to forma base for the little guys.
Or combine them to form a larger space ship.
Of course, these two vehicles combined to make a larger robot, Overlord himself.
The two smaller robots could plug into his chest, releasing some spring loaded gimmicks.
I will break down how fun and well done this combiner is for a G1 toy. Firstly, Liokaiser is made up of six vehicles.
Each individual robot has a interesting animal theme, like Jarugar below who's robot head has a jaguar helmet.
You see his chest plate above? It was removable (they were called the Breastforce)and actualy turned into a gun...
... as well as a beast companion. In this case a flying Jaguar.
Each of the six had the same breast plate gimmick but their own individual animals.
Liokaiser himself is a great sum of his parts since, unlike previous combiners, his combiner hands and feet were integrated within the various vehicles. The only extra piece that you'd have to add to him to complete the combiner was the combiner head which is actually the top part of the robot's face and the larger lion themed helmet(the back of head becomes the combiner's mouth, quite a clever design).
1. The Dinobots
These need no explanation or argument. Everyone knows these iconic characters in one form or another. They have been a staple of the Transformers brand and are the perfect combination of everything a kid could want. They are dinosaurs who turn into robots. Can you think of anything better than that? I sure couldn't (my favourite childhood toy was Beast Wars Megatron) and I would love to own these G1 toys, as would every collector out there. While we are all wishing, I would prefer Swoop's chest to be blue like in the show but I wont complain one bit if ever these toys are rereleased.
Honourable mentions: I am not a big fan of pretenders but I would really wish to own the ones who's inner robots combine like Dino King and Monstructor (which are pretty redecos of one another).
Also, at the tail end of G1, when G2 was a thing, there were some G1 toys that were released by Hasbro but not in the United States. One of the best out of these was Skyquake and the predators (with fan favorite stalker). These could also interact with one another. The main problem was that Skyquake himself had parts that easily broke so a reissue (with better plastic) would please both those who never owned him and those who broke theirs.
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