Transformers Comic Book News on Seibertron.com

IDW Transformers Classics UK Volume 5 Preview

Date: Tuesday, August 5th 2014 2:18pm CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): IDW Publishing, Kahlil Schweitzer

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No new Transformers comics coming out this week from IDW Publishing, but we do have another collected volume of oldies - check out below a full preview of Transformers Classics UK Volume 5, collecting stories from the UK publications and with added material and notes from current writer James Roberts!

Transformers Classics UK, Vol. 5
Simon Furman, Ian Rimmer & Richard Starkings (w) • Jeff Anderson, Geoff Senior, Dan Reed, Bryan Hitch, Lee Sullivan, Robin Smith (a) • Andrew Wildman (c)
Classic TRANSFORMERS tales from the UK continuity! These vintage TF stories are presented in order, many published for the first time in the United States! Writer and life-long TF fan James Roberts provides in-depth historical perspective front matter in each volume, and TFUK artist Andrew Wildman provides new covers!
TPB • FC • $29.99 • 296 pages • ISBN: 978-1-61377-714-5

Bullet points:
• Collects the UK specific stories in issues #145–179 plus the 1988 Annual.

IDW Transformers: Robots in Disguise #30 Review

Date: Wednesday, June 11th 2014 7:47am CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews, Site Articles
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): IDW Publishing, Va'al

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Views: 38,970

Synopsis
GALVATRON THE BARBARIAN! From Cybertron’s ancient past came the warrior-king, GALVATRON. Once, he united CYBERTRON and ushered in a Golden Age. Now, he wants to do the same to Earth… but OPTIMUS PRIME has a problem with that plan.



Story

So we're still/back on Earth, as the Autobots and Decepticons seem to have switched places in the mind of humanity - or the humanity controlled by Marissa Faireborn and her EDC organisation, at least. Who still really want to keep the robots under wraps for as long as they can, and presumably the fact that they are now siding with the 'bad guys', too.



Flashback! In the distant past of Cybertron, a warrior did warrior things, killing people, slicing people, being snarky and other such barbaric nonsense. But a 'new' player comes into the arena, all that way back, and it really looks like it will have severe repercussions on the entire game, all the way up to the present.



In the second flashback, we get more about Arcee and her decision to join the Earth Autobot mission, but also her feelings about the three new female Camiens showing up - and I have to say, Barber really made it work, in the same subdued way we saw in Windblade and MTMTE. But then, Barber made Arcee work all through RID, including her excellent dry comments on the situation.



Overall, Barber delivers a significantly slower issue, with a lot of explaining and setting up: Soundwave and Galvatron setting up their 'plan', Marissa Faireborne setting up Earth's current state, Jetfire setting up the Constructicons, and them setting up Prowl's backstory, in a way - but the dialogue and chemistry with the latter two/seven is brilliant, as is Jetfire in fact, and Soundwave really shines.

Art

Three artists, Casey Coller, Brendan Cahill and main lineworker Andrew Griffith, return to their flashback and main narrative duties. Cahill actually redraws some of what we saw in previous issues, but from different angles, and has a great smirking Prowl; Coller takes us to Galvatron's past, and shows some guts and gore, with excellent facial expressions accompanying them. Both are coloured by the brilliant Joana Lafuente, who really makes the two look different, but still linked enough for some really nice transitions.



Griffith's robots are amazing, with Soundwave, Galvatron and Prowl/Devastator taking main stage, but the humans have some really good touches too, and some amazing scale perspectives with panelwork that are jawdropping. Josh Perez' colours really help in setting the tone for the fights and aftermaths, with darker tones glinting with scheming light.



Tom B. Long clearly had a lot of fun with lettering too, seeing the amount of sound-effects and personal voice/fonts throughout the issue. And the covers, all four of them, are great additions, with Coller and Lafuente on B, Griffith and Tramontano on A, and Guido Guidi on two versions of the iconic Megatron-Optimus fight, one sketch, one with John-Paul Bove's colours (see thumbnail)!

Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

I am conflicted about this issue, for a handful of reasons. I loved Prowl's continuous scheming, Galvatron's over-the-top zealotry and warrior nature, Soundwave's true colours. But it felt like a slow issue, which relied on those three points - and the reason everyone is on Earth - to move along in a big fight sequence that, don't get me wrong, looks great. But still felt a bit like stalling.



Prowl's plans keep unravelling, but something is definitely going on with him. The green buddies are as amusing as ever, and there's something more there too. Galvatron is taking a leaf out of Prowl's book, and starts flipping *everything* in his rage, Faireborn and the EDC have a much better take on 'disguise' than usual, too. But I really want the story to leap forward now - show us moar, Barber!

IDW Transformers: Robots in Disguise #30 Preview

Date: Friday, June 6th 2014 11:05am CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): IDW, Newsarama

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Comics and entertainment website Newsarama have posted their IDW Publishing preview of next week's issue of Transformers: Robots in Disguise, and we've mirrored the full works below for your viewing convenience! We've seen these Casey Coller pages before, but we also get a look at the various covers and the recap page - and head back here after the weekend for the Seibertron.com review.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #30: Dawn of the Autobots
John Barber (w) • Andrew Griffith, Casey W. Coller (a & c) • Griffith (c)
GALVATRON THE BARBARIAN! From Cybertron’s ancient past came the warrior-king, GALVATRON. Once, he united CYBERTRON and ushered in a Golden Age. Now, he wants to do the same to Earth… but OPTIMUS PRIME has a problem with that plan.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
- DAWN OF THE AUTOBOTS continues!
- OPTIMUS PRIME commands the AUTOBOTS on Earth!
- Variant cover by Guido Guidi!

Sneak Peek - IDW Transformers: Robots in Disguise #30

Date: Monday, June 2nd 2014 4:31pm CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): Mariel Romero, iTunes

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She's back once more to please the Transformers crowds! IDW Publishing digital assistant Mariel Romero has uploaded to iTunes a sneak preview of the upcoming thirtieth issue of the Robots in Disguise ongoing series, featuring a look at Galvatron in his prime as warrior king - and which you can check out mirrored below. This usually means the comics itself will be out in two weeks' time, so stay tuned for more news as it comes.

GALVATRON THE BARBARIAN! From Cybertron’s ancient past came the warrior-king, GALVATRON. Once, he united CYBERTRON and ushered in a Golden Age. Now, he wants to do the same to Earth… but OPTIMUS PRIME has a problem with that plan.

BotCon 2014 Artist Alley Official Press Release

Date: Wednesday, May 14th 2014 2:35pm CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Event News, People News, Collector's Club News
Posted by: El Duque | Credit(s): BotCon

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Our friends at BotCon just dropped by with an official press release announcing many of the artist that will be featured in this year's Artist Alley. See the full press release below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BotCon 2014 to feature its largest Artists’ Alley ever… again!
Pasadena, California June 19th – June 22nd!


Pasadena, CA – May 14th, 2014 – Fun Publications, Inc., licensee for Hasbro’s official
Transformers Collectors’ Convention, BotCon, is excited to announce that this
years award-winning convention is set to feature another record year for artist
participation. With over 25 amazing artists appearing at BotCon, being held at the
Pasadena Convention Center from June 19th to June 22nd in the wonderful city of
Pasadena, fans from around the world will get to meet and buy art from many of the
best professional artists working on Transformers today!


Pop Culture enthusiasts and Transformers fans of all ages can still register for
BotCon 2014 through the BotCon.com online registration system. Fans and
Collectors who register for BotCon as a Primus package holder will receive the
five-figure PIRATES VS KNIGHTS convention set, admission to the Friday private
sales room experience, The TRANSFORMERS FAN EXPERIENCE at Universal,
priority seating at all panels and seminars throughout the weekend and access to
all of the great guests attending BotCon 2014. Finally, Primus package attendees
will also receive a special bonus Transformers Deluxe figure to go along with
their convention box set. General Admission for non-registered attendees will be
available on Saturday and Sunday only.


For more information on BotCon and all activities and the exclusive figure
offerings, please visit BotCon.com. Press inquiries; please contact Pete Sinclair
pete@funpubinc.com.


About Fun Publications, Inc.

For nearly 20 years, Fun Publications, Inc. has been a Hasbro licensee offering
fans and collectors of pop culture memorabilia news, exclusive product and family
events through different print offerings, websites, collector clubs and brand
specific conventions such as GIJoeCon and BotCon. Located in Fort Worth Texas,
Fun Publications reaches a large audience, serving the United States and many
other countries such as Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, Australia and Canada. For
more information visit TransformersClub.com, GIJoeClub.com, GIJoeCon.com, and
BotCon.com. BotCon is a registered trademark of Fun Publications, Inc. (C) 2014 Fun
Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and
families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings
based on the Company's world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to
television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive
licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative,
well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP,
NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and
MONOPOLY. The Company’s Hasbro Studios develops and produces television
programming for markets around the world. The Hub TV Network is part of a multi-
platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ:
DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), in the U.S. Through the Company's deep commitment to
corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a
safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives
of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts
by being named one of the "World’s Most Ethical Companies" and is ranked as one
of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s "100 Best Corporate Citizens."Learn more at
http://www.hasbro.com. © 2014 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

IDW Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #29 Review

Date: Wednesday, May 14th 2014 3:53am CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews, Site Articles
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): IDW Publishing, Va'al

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Views: 42,346

Synopsis
STAND-OFF! While the crew of the Lost Light react to MEGATRON’s arrival with characteristic maturity (calling him names behind his back and ignoring him when he speaks) one AUTOBOT is convinced that a more direct approach is needed. Guess what happens when a one-time tyrant is told he’s not wanted? Yeah, exactly.



Story

Only a couple of weeks after the last comic, and in fact, the last MTMTE it was too, here we are again back on the Lost Light! Last we saw of space was the floating coffin with Autobot insignia just outside the ship, and it seems as thought captain Megatron decides to bring it on board pretty quickly. Meanwhile, Tailgate (completely absent for pretty much the entirety of Dark Cybertron) is reunited with Cyclonus, and everyone else on the ship.



In another six month flashback, we return to Megatron's planet-wide trial, too. But the centre stage is taken by some behind the scenes Rodimus action (well, more or less) and the prosaic, verbose, eloquent, melodramatic, narcissistic duly appointed ruler of Cybertron itself: Starscream. Who gets even further excellent characterisation, along with the big M himself. He looooves to talk, but he does know what to say. Usually.



But what is really impressive in this issue's writing, as has been for the series pre-Dark Cybertron too, is James Roberts' attention to detail. Or to disseminating details, references, clues, scraps of information about where the story might go, where it came from, with the coffin and Skids and Nautica, Riptide, Nightbeat and the rest of the crew. Add to that a number of little nudges towards other series, shows and lores. Seriously, it's riddled with them.



In terms of actual action, there is probably even less than last issue, but my oh my is there still a lot going on. Chromedome's mourning, Nightbeat's solving, Trailcutter's drinking/forcefielding, THE TRIAL. If anything, it can at times still feel a little cramped if you are trying to pay attention to all the details on the first read.

Art

We get Alex Milne on artwork, confirming and earning his post as the main artist for the series. And it really really works with the tone of the stories being told. And the expressions, especially with Rodimus' reactions during the trial. And Starscream's. But the best parts are some of the perspectives in the ship, around the ship, outside the ship (there's a double page spread that is breathtaking), and Cybertron again, with some excellent montage styled panelwork for the trial scenes.



It's also the first issue with Joana Lafuente on full colours! And she delivers amazingly. There are some plays on light and shadows in the conversation between Nightbeat and Chromedome that really set the tone, and some excellent hues for Trailcutter's scenes and other snippets around the issue.



Lettering is once more a brilliant Tom B. Long, who does some serious fonting and captioning of scenes, with some truly excellent touches to the already stellar visual components. And the covers are brilliant, too: Milne and Priscilla Tramontano stand-off on A, a smug Nick Roche/Josh Burcham B, and a throwback Marcelo Matere and Tramontano incentive (thumbnail).

Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

Some of my concerns from #28 return here, in terms of multiple storylines. But there is definitely more of a focus and a bringing together of events, causes and consequences. The ending is a ridiculous cliffhanger or three, there may be ghosts, and it all looks absolutely amazing, with some priceless expressions around characters. It feels less like it's building up, and more like a sustained tension of suspense.



As I said above, in some parts it feels as though there is even more cramped into this issue than the previous one, but give it time. And if, on the other hand, it feels like something is missing, maybe it's just Roberts making it so. Read the issue more than once, take your time, and if it's still gone.. then it's definitely an intentional loss. Just ask Nightbeat.

IDW Transformers June 2014 Solicitations: Dawn of the Autobots, Classics, All Hail Megatron and Drift!

Date: Wednesday, March 19th 2014 2:43am CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): IDW Publishing

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Courtesy of the awesome people over at IDW Publishing, Seibertron.com can bring you the comic book solicitations for all the Transformers goodness coming out this June! Check out some of the covers below, and the descriptions - see anything you want in particular?

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #30: Dawn of the Autobots
James Roberts (w) • Alex Milne (a & c)
EVACUATION! Is it possible for a starship to object to its captain? That’s what the AUTOBOTS are asking MEGATRON as the Lost Light becomes the most dangerous place in the universe! 
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
- DAWN OF THE AUTOBOTS continues!
- MEGATRON commands the AUTOBOTS in space!
- Variant cover by Guido Guidi!

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #30: Dawn of the Autobots—Subscription Variant
James Roberts (w) • Alex Milne (a) • Nick Roche (c)
For subscription customers only, a special variant cover with art by Nick Roche!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #30: Dawn of the Autobots
John Barber (w) • Andrew Griffith, Casey W. Coller (a & c) • Griffith (c)
GALVATRON THE BARBARIAN! From Cybertron’s ancient past came the warrior-king, GALVATRON. Once, he united CYBERTRON and ushered in a Golden Age. Now, he wants to do the same to Earth… but OPTIMUS PRIME has a problem with that plan.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
- DAWN OF THE AUTOBOTS continues!
- OPTIMUS PRIME commands the AUTOBOTS on Earth!
- Variant cover by Guido Guidi!

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #30: Dawn of the Autobots—Subscription Variant
John Barber (w) • Andrew Griffith (a) • Casey W. Coller (c)
For subscription customers only, a special variant cover with art by Casey W. Coller!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Windblade #3 (of 4): Dawn of the Autobots
Mairghread Scott (w) • Sarah Stone (a & c)
THE FATE OF CYBERTRON! WINDBLADE learns more about the new face of CYBERTRON—and lesson number one is: never underestimate STARSCREAM! She’s trapped in a no-win situation—but what is the scheming DECEPTICON really after, and how far will he go to keep WINDBLADE out of his way?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
- WINDBLADE battles for the future of CYBERTRON!
- BLURR and the patrons of MACCADAM’S join the struggle against STARSCREAM!
- The biggest TRANSFORMERS character debut since DRIFT continues!
- Variant cover by Guido Guidi!

Transformers: Windblade #3 (of 4): Dawn of the Autobots—Subscription Variant
Mairghread Scott (w) • Sarah Stone (a) • Alex Milne (c)
For subscription customers only, a special variant cover by Alex Milne!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Spotlight Drift Director’s Cut
Shane McCarthy (w) • Casey W. Coller (a) • Livio Ramondelli (c)
ALL HAIL DRIFT! From his debut, the former DECEPTICON called DRIFT has been one of the most controversial—and popular—TRANSFORMERS characters! Now relive his first solo adventure with an outstanding array of behind-the-scenes material! Learn how DRIFT went from a supporting character in a comic book to a toy—and how he became a part of the TRANSFORMERS mythology!
FC • 48 pages • $4.99

Bullet points:
- The history of DRIFT revealed!
- Never-before-seen layouts, sketches, designs, and script pages!
- Exclusive commentary from Shane McCarthy, Guido Guidi, Casey W. Coller—and more!

Transformers: Dark Cybertron, Vol. 2
James Roberts, John Barber (w) • Atilio Rojo, James Raiz, Livio Ramondelli, Andrew Griffith, Phil Jimenez, Brendan Cahill (a) • Phil Jimenez (c)
The conclusion to the 12-part epic DARK CYBERTRON! OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON join forces against SHOCKWAVE! Titans clash and the ultimate battle will leave the planet changed forever.
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 152 pages • ISBN: 978-1-61377-998-9

Bullet points:
Collects Robots in Disguise #25–27, More Than Meets The Eye #26–27, and Dark Cybertron #2.

Transformers Classics, Vol. 7
Simon Furman, Bob Budiansky, Ralph Macchio (w) • Andrew Wildman, Frank Springer, Don Perlin (a) • Guido Guidi (c)
The historic roots of The Transformers are re-presented for maximum Cybertronian enjoyment. Collects issues #77–80, the Headmasters four-issue series, and the three-issue Movie Adaptation. Freshly re-mastered and re-colored, these stories are accompanied by an in-depth introduction as well as select issue notes by Mark W. Bellomo.
TPB • FC • $29.99 • 276 pages • ISBN: 978-1-61377-987-3

Bullet points:
- Collects the final issues of the original series!

Transformers: All Hail Megatron Deluxe Limited Hardcover
Shane McCarthy, Simon Furman (w) • Guido Guidi (a)
This limited-edition hardcover of Transformers: All Hail Megatron is signed by Shane McCarthy and Trevor Hutchison and hand-numbered to 350. This collection of the complete series has been packaged and presented in beautiful hand-assembled casing and silver metallic covers.
HC w/slipcase • FC • $125.00 • 492 pages • ISBN: 978-1-63140-031-5

Seibertron.com Quick Interview - Andrew Griffith and Livio Ramondelli

Date: Friday, January 31st 2014 6:58am CST
Categories: Comic Book News, Event News, People News
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): Livio Ramondelli, Andrew Griffith

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In the next round of the Seibertron.com series of interviews, we are proud to bring you a special double feature: artists Livio Ramondelli and Andrew Griffith, two men who really need no introduction by now! Andrew, Livio, thank you for agreeing to chat about robots for a bit.



Va'al - The first question: We saw recently that you'll be attending a Japanese convention together, TransForMarket, this summer. How did it all happen? How were you contacted?

Andrew - Hello, and thanks for having us!

This actually came about out of a conversation we had last summer one evening during Botcon weekend. Livio and I were out having dinner with our editor and common friend John Barber, and this was the first time we really got to socialize together. We got talking about different conventions we had been to, and both expressed interest in attending a convention in Asia.

After researching a few shows and not getting very far, I reached out to a Japanese-American fan I made friends with at the same Botcon who was able to get in touch with some people she knew in Japan who organized fan conventions. It wasn't long after that until we got invited to TransForMarket and had a few fans in Japan excited to help us come over.



Livio - It's a pleasure to speak with you!

And yep, it's exactly what Andrew said. Both he and I do a decent amount of comic conventions in the United States, as well as both having attended the great Auto Assembly in England. We both really became interested in attending one in Japan and so we set out to gather as much information as possible. It's a pretty amazing time for comic conventions in general, there are more now than ever before and most of them seem to be growing larger every year.

I know both Andrew and I are thrilled to be attending TransForMarket. It's really exciting just to be able to visit Japan, as well as meet the readers over there. We've been in touch with some of them already and they seem like a great group of people.



Va'al - That's really intriguing, that you set out to find your audience, rather than the other way around! We all know Japan is a big part of the birth of the Transformers toy franchise, but how much do its current fans get from the English comics publications? How much interaction have you had with Japanese fans?

Livio - We certainly couldn't have done it without our friend that Andrew mentioned, as well as another friend currently living in Tokyo. Once Andrew and I expressed interest, they were the ones who really reached out to the convention runners and made this whole thing possible.

And so far, my experiences with the Japanese readers has been through deviantArt, E-Mail, and Twitter. We're obviously a more connected society than ever before, and it's been a true pleasure chatting with them. They all seem very up to date with what IDW is publishing, I think largely due to online sales and shipments rather than being carried in local stores. But that's definitely something I want to check out further when we arrive.

And yes, it's very exciting to be headed to the place where the toys originally came from!

Andrew - Once again Livio pretty much said it well. For the most part my interaction with the Japanese fans has pretty much been limited to our friend who is helping to set up some commissions for the convention, along with some back and forth with some fans on twitter.

I remember at Botcon and New York comic con in particular I interacted with a few Japanese fans who couldn't have been any friendlier and were very supportive of the work we've been doing.

And yes the idea of visiting the land where Transformers came from is very exciting!

And it's my understanding as well that the IDW comics don't get imported to shops there, so they have to get them through online sales or order them from overseas. But from everything I hear they're very passionate about it.

Va'al - From what I've seen on social media and various fansites, passionate is an understatement! I'm sure it'll be extremely exciting and flattering, dealing with an audience which can appear very different from the events you've attended so far. Is this your first time to Japan, then?



Livio - It's my first time, yeah! Japan (Tokyo in particular) has always been one of the places I've most wanted to see. It's really exciting that it's happening, especially under these circumstances where we get to interact with all the readership over there.

I'm really looking forward to making new friends over there the same way I was fortunate enough to make new friends in England and Australia when I attended conventions in those places.

Andrew - Yeah, first time for me as well. It should be a full trip. Between doing the show and meeting the new fans, seeing the busy streets of Tokyo and just generally soaking in the culture and food I'm sure it will be an eventful and exciting time. So much we both want to see there.

I have to admit I'm even excited to get to some of the stores over there and see what the geek culture is like and what different options Transformers have for collecting.

Va'al - It does sound like you'll both be hectic and super busy, I'll admit. So if I were to ask you to single out one thing you'd like to do while visiting, what would it be? Any Transformers-related business you'd like to attend to?



Livio - I agree with Andrew- I can't wait to see all the geeky shops and sample the culture. I imagine I will be buying tons of new books and toys, to further weigh down my luggage on the flight back.

As for one Transformers thing- I'd have to say just meeting the readers over there! I really like meeting the people who read these books and talking to them in person, no matter where they live. And Japan is an especially exotic location!

Andrew - Well the biggest thing will be what Livio said, just getting to meet fans who enjoy what we do and share the same passion makes it all worthwhile.

If I had to pick one "touristy thing," I'd be pretty torn between wanting to take in and fully experience the urban culture of anime shops, arcades and karaoke vs. wanting to take in the more traditional culture of cherry blossoms, Buddhist temples and zen water gardens.

And like Livio, I'd be surprised if my luggage doesn't weigh more on the trip home.

Va'al - Then I wish you all the best on your trip, and hope you have fun with the experience! Before we close up, is there anything else you'd like to plug to our readers? Any other events you'll be attending in the near future where fans can find you?



Andrew - Well, we'll both be attending the Emerald City Comic-Con this March in Seattle. I'm sorting out more shows thought the year, but Botcon and TFCon look likely and it's too early to announce but I'll likely have at least one more overseas Con to announce later this year.

Other than that, I hope everyone sticks around post-Dark Cybertron. Starting with issue 28 RID is taking a whole new direction that I hope everyone will enjoy. And if anyone's interested, you can always follow me on Twitter or deviantArt as glovestudios.

Livio - Thanks for the kind words! It's been great chatting with you.

Unfortunately I can't share what I'm currently working on- except to say that it involves robots and that news about it will be coming soon from IDW! And I'd like to thank everyone for reading and supporting the books, it means a lot!

Also I really like interacting with readers. If you'd like to get in touch with me or peruse some art follow me on Twitter, Instagram and deviantArt where my handle on all of those is the very original LivioRamondelli.



Thanks again to both Andrew and Livio for the very brief chat. Make sure you check out their work on the IDW comics, and drop by to say hi at any of the events they'll be attending. Stay tuned on Seibertron.com for more interviews with the minds and hands behind the comics soon!

IDW Transformers November 2013 Solicitations - Dark Cybertron, Beast Hunters, Classics UK and More

Date: Thursday, August 15th 2013 5:33pm CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Press Releases
Posted by: Va'al | Credit(s): IDW Publishing

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Views: 64,210

November is going to be momentous for IDW Transformers comics, as RID and MTMTE merge and the 12-issue Dark Cybertron arc finally begins! But that's not all - ReGeneration One enters into its final arc, and Beast Hunters reaches a pivotal point. And in other news, G.I. Joe features a fun easter egg on its cover, too. Take a look below at some of the covers and the solicits!

Transformers: Dark Cybertron #1—SPOTLIGHT
James Roberts & John Barber (w) • Phil Jimenez & Andrew Griffith with Brendan Cahill (a) • Jimenez (c)
THE END OF EVERYTHING! SHOCKWAVE makes a move millions of years in the planning—an ultimate plan to remake Cybertron and destroy both the Autobots and Decepticons! Bringing together the casts of the hit MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE and ROBOTS IN DISGUISE for the first time in two years!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
• The biggest Transformers event in comic book history!
• Art by superstar PHIL JIMENEZ and Transformers fan-favorite ANDREW GRIFFITH!
• Writing by Transformers greats JAMES ROBERTS & JOHN BARBER!
• All your favorite Transformers characters together!
• Variant covers by Phil Jimenez and Andrew Griffith!

Transformers: Dark Cyberton #1—Subscription Variant
James Roberts & John Barber (w) • Phil Jimenez & Andrew Griffith with Brendan Cahill (a) • Casey W. Coller (c)
For subscription customers only… enlist up at your local comic shop! A special TRANSFORMERS SUPERSTAR variant cover with art by CASEY W. COLLER! Only for loyal subscription box customers!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Dark Cyberton #1—Deluxe Edition
James Roberts & John Barber (w) • Phil Jimenez & Andrew Griffith with Brendan Cahill (a) • Jimenez (c)
THE DELUXE EXPERIENCE! This once-in-a-lifetime book includes every page of the regular edition, plus behind-the-scenes material! Phil Jimenez’s layouts—including unused alternate versions—plus James Roberts and John Barber’s original plot, designs by Andrew Griffith and more!
FC • 48 pages • $7.99

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #23: Dark Cybertron Part 2 (of 12)
James Roberts & John Barber (w) • James Raiz, Atilio Rojo & Livio Ramondelli (a) • Casey W. Coller (c)
THE DEAD UNIVERSE! ORION PAX—the ’bot who was once OPTIMUS PRIME—joins RODIMUS and the crew of the Lost Light in a desperate bid to outmaneuver SHOCKWAVE—by returning to the legendary Dead Universe! Meanwhile, BUMBLEBEE faces down the biggest—literally biggest—threat he’s ever seen on CYBERTRON!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
• The TRANSFORMERS comics event of the decade continues!
• Co-written by regular MTMTME writer James Roberts and RID writer John Barber!
• Variant cover by Phil Jimenez!

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #23: Dark Cybertron Part 2 (of 12) Subscription Variant
James Roberts & John Barber (w) • James Raiz, Atilio Rojo & Livio Ramondelli (a) E.J. Su (c)
For subscription customers only… enlist up at your local comic shop! A special TRANSFORMERS SUPERSTAR variant cover with art by E.J. Su!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #23: Dark Cybertron Part 3 (of 12)
John Barber & James Roberts (w) • James Raiz, Atilio Rojo (a) • Casey W. Coller (c)
STARSCREAM UNDER FIRE! The all-new, all-redesigned, all-leader-of-the-planet STARSCREAM makes his move! Will he stand up for CYBERTRON, or fall under SHOCKWAVE’s onslaught? Meanwhile—the Lost Light receives a desperate call from help from an old friend!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
• The TRANSFORMERS comics event of the decade continues!
• Co-written by regular RID writer John Barber and MTMTME writer James Roberts!
• Variant cover by Phil Jimenez!

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #23: Dark Cybertron Part 3 (of 12)—Subscription Variant
John Barber & James Roberts (w) • James Raiz, Atilio Rojo (a) • Nick Roche (c)
For subscription customers only… enlist up at your local comic shop! A special TRANSFORMERS SUPERSTAR variant cover with art by Nick Roche!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #1: 100-Penny Press
James Roberts (w) • Nick Roche (a & c)
Rediscover the beginning of the ultimate TRANSFORMERS saga, for only a buck! The first issue of the epic quest from the fan-favorite creative team behind Last Stand of the Wreckers!
FC • 32 pages • $1.00

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #1: 100-Penny Press
John Barber (w) • Andrew Griffith (a & c)
Go back and discover how it all began, for only one dollar! BUMBLEBEE and his fellow AUTOBOTS struggle to maintain control of a world without OPTIMUS PRIME!
FC • 32 pages • $1.00

Transformers Classics UK, Vol. 5
Simon Furman, Ian Rimmer & Richard Starkings (w) • Jeff Anderson, Geoff Senior, Dan Reed, Bryan Hitch, Lee Sullivan, Robin Smith (a) • Andrew Wildman (c)
Classic TRANSFORMERS tales from the UK continuity! These vintage TF stories are presented in order, many published for the first time in the United States! Writer and life-long TF fan James Roberts provides in-depth historical perspective front matter in each volume, and TFUK artist Andrew Wildman provides new covers!
TPB • FC • $29.99 • 296 pages • ISBN: 978-1-61377-714-5

Bullet points:
• Collects the UK specific stories in issues #145–179 plus the 1988 Annual.

Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye, Vol. 5
James Roberts (w) • Alex Milne (a & c)
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE's first full-blown epic moves into high gear as RODIMUS leads his crew to the gates of heaven—or hell. But larger forces are closing in and an ancient plan is reaching fruition—and as an old friend calls time on the AUTOBOTS' quest, one thing becomes clear: the LEGISLATORS are on the march.
TPB • FC • $19.99 • 152 pages • ISBN: 978-1-61377-802-9

Bullet points:
• Collects issues #17–22.

Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters #7
Mairghread Scott & Mike Johnson (w) • Agustin Padilla (a) • Ken Christiansen (c)
With Cybertron reborn, the Dinobots have made their way to the surface. But now, the war has returned and the Dinobots are caught in the maelstrom. With old allies joining the battle, can the Dinobots take back Cybertron?
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
• Animation art variant cover!

Transformers Regeneration One #96
Simon Furman (w) • Guido Guidi (a) • Andrew Wildman, Guidi (c)
ZERO INITIATIVE! As RODIMUS PRIME urgently struggles to comprehend the what, why, and wherefore of SPIKE WITWICKY, GALVATRON, JHIAXUS, and a DARK MATRIX creature, and specifically how they contribute to the final dissolution of time, space and everything in between! Unless NIGHTBEAT and BUMBLEBEE can shake loose some answers, the future—is cancelled.
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
• Order 10 copies, get one free Artist’s Edition Geoff Senior variant cover!

Transformers Regeneration One #96—Subscription Variant
Simon Furman (w) • Guido Guidi (a) • blank sketch cover (c)
For subscription customers only… enlist at your local comic shop! A blank cover for your favorite artist to draw an original sketch! Celebrating original art! It’s “Artist’s Edition Month!”
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Back on Board - Review of TRANSFORMERS REGENERATION #88

Date: Wednesday, February 13th 2013 2:09pm CST
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews
Posted by: Tigertrack | Credit(s): tigertracks 24

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Views: 36,944

Transformers REGENERATION #88

(CUE OMEGA SUPREME VOICE INTONATION)
Time-off taken. Return imminent. Content Limited, Discussion: Classic Transformers Storytelling.

As worn out as the first arc of REGENERATION made me in trying to review, analyze, and decode; I found Issue #88 a pleasant, fun story (and it’s lead issue 87) to return to.




As I dig into Grimlock making a cliché ‘deal with the devil’ to receive a new body and get his fellow Dinobots restored to full health as well, I can’t help but think about all the previous versions of Grimlock there are in the fiction, and what kind of a metamorphosis he underwent throughout Simon Furman’s work with him. Back on topic- Grimlock’s deal.

This deal my friends is what steers the course for Scorponok’s adventure to Cybertron. Like the classic Transformers tales of nearly 30 years ago, whether it be in comic or cartoon form, this issue oozes magnificent world domination scheming reminiscent of cartoon Megatron, and one trick devices that look to turn the tide for one side or another along the lines of ‘THE HATE PLAGUE’, ‘THE ULTIMATE DOOM’ or ‘MEGATRON’s MASTER PLAN’.

The best thing is, for me, that was part of the excellence of Transformers from my youth, the unbelievable plans, the crazy inventions and devices that just happen to come into being with each new story or episode. The gullible-ness (innocence?) of many of the characters to be misled.

This issue takes me back as fan-favorite Scorponok sans his former headmaster partner Zarak, looks to take back Cybertron for the Decepticons. He plans to do this by making all the inhabitants into Decepticons using a gene key that will unlock the ‘warrior gene’ in all the Autobots, basically taking away their inhibitions, and morals -- for all purposes making them Decepticons as well. The device is first used on a small scale so that Scorponok and his partners can set up the large planet-sized key that will do the work a lot more quickly.





Grimlock, meanwhile, is back on Cybertron as well, aiding Scorponok as little as possible, but not trying to put a stop to his efforts either. Grimlock’s mind is trapped on his fellow Dinobots, and the whole Nucleon experience that he put them through.

And there are plenty of side plots to help keep all the characters moving somehow: like Hot Rod’s search for the Primus chamber; Optimus cleanup on Earth; Starscream, Shockwave, and Galvatron re-united; and Soundwave’s scheme with Bludgeon, all of which could be linked to Scorponok’s current bid for dominance of Cybertron, and possibly... the universe!

It’s nice to feel this way again. I mourn the loss of Springer before he really even got started in this NEW (old) series, but find myself now that we are past that whole big, huge Optimus versus Megatron event, able to enjoy REGEN again.



Pick it up and enjoy the fun!

Easily 4.5 nostalgic stars out of 5!