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PAGE 1- We’ve got a brand new ship heading home, and we continue to see the evolution of Cybertron. Is it continuously challenging to make the planet different from issue to issue as it evolves, and how much leeway are you given on it?
ANDREW GRIFFITH: Well, the first thing a reader will likely notice about this page is how it echoes the first page of issue 1. Only instead of Hipotank and his pals arriving on Cybertron, it’s the lone Sky-Byte. I imagine one of the reasons John wrote it this way was to highlight the changes on Cybertron. There's been a lot of growth on the part of the planet as it goes though its rebirth pangs after it was reset by Vector Sigma in Chaos (see Transformers Vol. 7: Chaos).
I don't know if it's so much a challenge as a chance to just go a little more wild each time we see it
PAGE 2- Splash page of the Autobots at base. Talk us through you’d plan out a page like this. Do they always turn out how you envisioned?
ANDREW GRIFFITH: Actually this one turned out pretty close to how I pictured it. You get to see the Autobots busy in the command center quite a bit in this series, don’t you? In addition to coming up with a different composition each time, I’m always trying to figure out exactly what they’d be doing, and try to put character in here who would make sense being in the command center. I imagine they’re busy monitoring local space for threats, directing air traffic for incoming ships, monitoring the infrastructure Wheeljack and the Constructicons had been building and the like. But mostly, I like to think that one of these guys is really just playing Galaga. Maybe Jazz. Yeah, definitely Jazz.
PAGE 3- Sky-Byte returns to Transformers, after last being seen in the Robots in Disguise cartoon. Did you have to do much to him design wise to bring him into the G1 universe?
ANDREW GRIFFITH: Well, I was given pretty free reign on his design. It was in the script that he’d transform into a flying space shark. So I went from there and used the toy and his RID cartoon look as my main guide for how he'd look in RID, with a few practical changes, mostly as a result of changing his transformation sequence up a bit.
PAGE 4- Prowl and Arcee converse. When you’re drawing the same characters over again for an ongoing series, do you do anything special to kind of keep them fresh every time you draw them?
ANDREW GRIFFITH: Yeah, it’s getting to be a bit of a pattern seeing Prowl and Arcee on the balcony together, isn’t it? The biggest challenge for me is getting each scene to look different from all the others. And that’s just a matter of staging, I guess. But Prowl only has so many places to meet with his secret assassin friend, and Arcee does so like to climb on tall space labs that have crash-landed on Cybertron.
PAGE 5- Sky-Byte meets some of his fellow Cybretronians. On a typical day, how long would this page take to draw and ink and what kind of tools are you using?
ANDREW GRIFFITH: On a typical day? Well I usually can get a page done including pencils and inks in between one and two days. I recall this specific page taking me about a day and a half. I got to play with the shadows a good bit in this one since they’re sitting around a fire. Hopefully it came off alright.
I use your basic Blur Line Pro comic book art boards, though a particular kind that has ruler marks all around the edges and make lining up panel layout soooo much easier. I actually use a mechanical pencil made by Staedtler. I like the precision of it when I’m drawing mechanical things like Transformers, and it seems to stay sharper so much longer for me than a traditional pencil. As far as inks I use a combination of Micron pens, a variety of black markers and brush pens, pretty quick and dirty. I used to use more technical pens like Koh-I-Noor Rapidographs, but I just can’t keep up with deadlines constantly maintaining and cleaning those things.
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so here are a few more designs for MTMTE. i would have posted them up sooner, but i've been pretty busy
so first we have fortmax. basically the same design of him from when i first designed him for the IDW universe back in spotlight arcee. there are a few tweaks to him that i was always meaning to do, but never had the time to do. with those tweaks i feel his more functional. i'll post his alt mode at a later date, or maybe just hold onto it until i put a sketchbook together. i haven't made up my mind just yet.
next we have pharma. the description James gave me was he turn into a jet. so i went from there and this is what i came up with. durning the design process i was talking with James to get a better understanding of the character and his relationship with ratchet. i proposed the idea that pharma should have a similar head design to ratchets since he was basically his protégé. also i felt it would make the two of them have a stronger connection. most of the medical team have the red and white colours to them, and that was something i wanted from the start. i felt it made it seem like you were in a hospital and all the doctors and nurses had the same uniform. but i added a few more colours to pharma to make him stand out more. i also had the idea to have the medical staff have a silver autobot emblem instead of the traditional red. i thought that would make them a bit different then normal autobots
first aid was a lot of fun to design. i was looking over his toy and cartoon models as a base for his look here, but i was also came up with some differences to match his personality for this story. i wanted him to be very slender. i felt he wouldn't be the heavy combat type, but more the thinker. at times he had to look a bit timid due to things which were going on in the story and with his character, so that played into my design. overall i like what i came up with.
last we have ambulon. i won't say too much about him. you'll have to wait for issue 5 to find out more about him ;p
enjoy
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Chalrie Levitz asks: What was your favorite Arcee episode in season 1 and why?
Sumalee Montano: For me it’s a tie between Predatory and Crisscross. I love Crisscross because of the amazing fight and scenes between Starscream and Arcee. Both characters are at their utter best…and worst!!!
Predatory is also a favorite of mine because of the style and tone of the episode. It’s strikingly different from the others episodes, and it’s a huge turning point in Arcee’s character development. We meet her nemesis, Airachnid, and gain insight into Arcee’s vulnerabilities: her guilt over her partners’ deaths, losing those she cares about (Jack), and struggling with a desire for revenge (against Airachnid). Those are some pretty hefty character traits that, as an actor, I really enjoyed delving into.
Ryan Mulligan asks: How was it taking part in a show with such classic voice actors?
Sumalee Montano: Mind-blowingly awesome! I’m a big believer in surrounding yourself with people who inspire you. And not only is this cast insanely talented, but everyone is so nice, generous, and giving – an absolute joy to be around! It truly feels like a family, and I’m convinced I’m the luckiest girl in the world to be a part of it. Plus, we laugh together sooooo much. It’s an incredible blessing and an honor.
Amanda Butt asks: How have you adapted your approach to Arcee's voice over time? When watching the early episodes it sounds like you played a more feminine angle, whereas by later episodes she sounds more dry and sarcastic. Was that intentional? And if so, what about her character is it you respond to and use to shape her voice?
Sumalee Montano: That wasn’t intentional, but I definitely appreciate your attention to detail. When we started, I focused on Arcee’s toughness, which vocally came from a certain posture and physical stance that I used (and still use) in our recording sessions. I chose a very specific way to stand in relationship to the mic/mic stand that makes me feel my strongest and most powerful. As time went on, I was able to “fill in” my physical stance with Arcee’s history and life experiences. Living through those things in my mind affects and shapes the voice.
Abby Ryan Cluster asks: As a female VO artist, how fun/hard/interesting do you find working in what some think is a "boys’ club?"
Sumalee Montano: Being an actor is interesting, fun, and continually challenging. I love my job! I don’t really think about it as being a boys’ club. Although that kind of thinking can push you to work even harder, which can be a good thing. But I basically see myself as a “guy’s girl,” so I always appreciate an opportunity to hang with the guys.
Jordan Hobbins asks: Are you planning on buying the toys?
Sumalee Montano: YES! All the toys! They’ll be great replicas of these hopefully indelible characters. There’s also a fun coincidence related to the new Arcee toy. I was talking to a friend on the East Coast who I hadn’t spoken with for years. I didn’t know she was part of the team working on Arcee’s toy packaging, and she didn’t know that I was the voice of Arcee. When I told her, she exclaimed, “Hey, I just worked on Acree’s toy earlier today!”
I love it when you discover how Transformers touches so many people’s lives and brings us together.
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How would you describe Miko? What is your favorite aspect of the character? Could you tell us any more about her character and how you approached the role?
Miko is a 15 year old Japanese girl who loves her freedom! She loves adventures, punk clothing, playing guitar, hangin’ out with Bulkhead at Monster Truck Rallies, and of course, she loves inviting herself to go on any and all missions with the Autobots- especially the dangerous ones. Ha! Not to mention, she very much likes to break rules. Hmm..I’m kinda’ like that too, a bit, so my approach to the role was to have as much fun as I could possibly have leading up to and throughout each recording session!
Arcee is very different than many fans expected. She's tough, haunted, caring, smart and fierce all in one package. Did you expect such nuance in the character when you originally read for her? Is there anything of yourself that you have injected into the character to add a layer to her personality?
Based on the audition script I was given, I didn’t anticipate such a cool exploration of her haunted past. But I love that we got a chance to live through it, so people can really understand where she’s coming from and how her character grows.
I think an actor necessarily injects who he/she is into every character. That’s the beauty of it. No two actors can ever play the same role in the same way, because we’re all different. If I’m doing my job right, there is quite a bit of me in Arcee. Not all of me, of course, but definitely certain parts. I love her determination, her sassiness, and her vulnerability. I think you really see that human aspect of her through her relationship with Jack and how much she cares about him.
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We are happy to welcome back Transformers comic book artist Alex Milne to TFcon 2011. He will be setup in the TFcon artist alley all weekend long signing and sketching for fans. Alex did the packaging art for our convention exclusive Stronghold this year as well as the art for the comic that will be included in the TFcon 2011 program.
Alex has worked on Transformers Energon #26-29 and 31; G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers: The Art of War #4 and 5; as well as IDW’s Megatron Origin; the Transformers (2007) Official Movie Adaptation; Spotlight: Arcee; The Reign of Starscream; Transformers: Alliance; Revenge of the Fallen Movie Adaptation issue 3; Tales of the Fallen #5 Ravage, #6 Arcee; The Transformers: Drift; and The Transformers (issues 16-18).
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Disciples of Boltax wrote:
ON AUTOBOT BAND
as we see Blaster in command. With him are WINDCHARGER, MIRAGE and
GEARS and all are practically back to back, FIRING UP AT
SURROUNDING DECEPTICONS
BLASTER
Keep feed in , 'em fusion fritters
'n laser latkes! We ain't finished
yet!
GEARS
But not far from it! Our energy
is running low.
BLASTER
Then throw somethin' at 'em, babe!
Man, there ain't nothin' no Decepticon's
gonna get from me but flame and shame!
Yo!
ANOTHER ANGLE - GEARS
as Cyclonus swoops past and BOMBS GEARS TO PIECES, the force of
the blast THROWS WINDCHARGER UP and away from cover
BLASTER
Gears ! Oh, man ....
(looks up)
HIS P.O.V. - WINDCHARGER
as several of Cyclonus' planes JET THROUGH HIM, ~RING HIM TO
PIECES which rain down on Blaster's position
BLASTER
as arm, leg , torso of Windcharger rain down
BLASTER
I think the time has come to
hide my pride and .... run!
Blaster RUNS followed by Mirage and other in Autobot party as
they dodge behind rubble and duck as WALL OF CITY COMES FALLING
in the way of their pursuers and we
CUT TO HOT ROD, ARCEE AND DANIEL BEHIND COVER
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TFcon is happy to welcome back Alex Milne to the convention this year. He is known to fans as the artist for various comic books such as The 2007 Transformers Movie adaptation, Megatron Origins, Spotlight Arcee, Reign of Starscream, Tales of the Fallen and the upcoming Drift miniseries. You can meet him in the TFcon dealer room where he'll be signing and sketching for fans.
TFcon 2010 will take place July 17th and 18th in Toronto. Special guests include David Kaye - the voice of Beast Wars Megatron and Transformers Animated Optimus Prime, Mark Ryan - Transformers Movie Bumblebee and Jetfire, Derrick J. Wyatt - the Art Director and Lead Character Designer for Transformers Animated, Hasbro Canada plus artists Dan Khanna, Matt Moylan and Marvin Mariano. The TFcon 2010 exclusive figure Night-bird is limited to 1000 pieces. For more details check out http://www.tfcon.ca.
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