Transformers Comic Book News on Seibertron.com

IDW Announce Back to the Future x Transformers Crossover Miniseries

Date: Thursday, July 23rd 2020 1:14pm CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Press Releases
Posted by: ZeroWolf | Credit(s): IDW

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Greetings Seibertronians! Following on from his reveal, comic Publisher IDW have sent us more information about Gigawatt's comic debut, alongside Doc and Marty this October when the first of four issues in the miniseries hit the comic book stores!

Check out the press release below!

IDW wrote:Transformers / Back to the Future Comic Book Crossover Debuts from IDW Publishing


Join Marty McFly and the Autobots for the First-Ever Storyline
Featuring Hasbro and NBCUniversal’s Newest Creation, Gigawatt!



SAN DIEGO, CA (July 22, 2020) – Two of the greatest science fiction franchises of the 1980s will collide this fall in an all-new comic book crossover event, Transformers / Back to the Future! Written by Cavan Scott (bestselling author and writer of IDW’s Star Wars Adventures) and illustrated by Juan Samu (Marvel Action: Black Panther), the four-issue miniseries will debut in October from IDW Publishing!

In the debut issue, Marty McFly returns from the adventure of a lifetime to a new, better Hill Valley… that is, until Marty and his friend Doc Brown's time machine attracts the attention of the Decepticons. With one small mistake, Marty finds himself once again thrust into action to unravel a Decepticon plot in the past, present, and future... now with the help of a new converting time machine, the Autobot called Gigawatt!
 
“When I was asked to write the official crossover comic, I could only shout ‘Great Scott’ and dive in,” says writer Cavan Scott. “It’s the perfect fit. Both Transformers and Back to the Future are packed with adventure, humor, and (most importantly) heart. Plus, it gave me a chance to play with multiple Transformers timelines, harkening back to some of my favorite Transformers storylines of the ‘80s, while also bringing in elements of all three Back to the Future movies. Look out for classic characters, both human and Cybertronian, and a few surprises along the way!”
 
Artist Juan Samu says, “All my life I have waited for this moment! This amazing project, apart from being an authentic journey through time for me, has brought out my inner child in every scene. The Autobots, Decepticons, Marty, and Doc are so iconic that I feel super-excited to be able to draw them! Thanks to IDW, NBC Universal, and Hasbro for giving us this opportunity!”
 
“Transformers and Back to the Future have quite a bit in common,” says John Barber, Editor-in-Chief of IDW Publishing. “They’ve both inspired multiple generations of fans, they are both — at their heart — about characters and change, and they both have at least one really cool car. We’re extremely excited at IDW to get to bring these two worlds together!”
 
Transformers / Back to the Future #1 will be available with multiple cover variants for retailers and fans to enjoy, including Cover A by series artist Juan Samu, Cover B by Phil Murphy (Star Trek vs. Transformers), and two Retailer Incentive editions -- one illustrated by Dan Schoening (Transformers / Ghostbusters: Ghosts of Cybertron) with the second featuring a photo of the hotly anticipated AUTOBOT GIGAWATT toy.
 
Timed perfectly with the announcement of the Transformers / Back to the Future miniseries, IDW Publishing is partnering with the Fleet Science Center of San Diego for “The Science of Back to the Future,” a discussion of science and science fiction hosted by Comic-Con International as part of their “Comic-Con@Home” programming schedule. Posting online on Thursday, 07/23/20, at 3:00pm, the panel will showcase Cavan Scott and Juan Samu as guests to discuss their work on the upcoming crossover, alongside panelists John Barber; Saura Naderi, Outreach Director at the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute at UC San Diego; Dr. Lisa Will, Fleet Science Center Resident Astronomer; and moderator Andrea Decker.
 
For information on how to acquire copies of the Transformers / Back to the Future comic books, please contact your local comic shop or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.

Don't forget you can also find other Transformers crossover comics in Seibertron's own store! Like the recent Transformers x Terminator (still ongoing) and last years well received Ghostbusters x Transformers!

Looking forward to this? Let us know in the Energon Pub and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews.

Flame Toys Begins Taking Pre-Orders for SDCC Exclusive Black Star Saber and Clear Optimus Prime

Date: Thursday, July 23rd 2020 12:53am CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Toy News, Event News, Collectables
Posted by: Emerje | Credit(s): Bluefin Collectibles

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You can't go to San Diego Comic-Con this year, but you can still bring the exclusives home. As part of the Comic-Con@Home event (which started Wednesday and runs through July 26), Flame Toys has begun taking pre-orders for Furai Model Optimus Prime IDW (Clear Ver) and Kuro Kara Kuri Star Saber Alternative at Bluefin Collectibles.

Clear Optimus Prime (full gallery here) comes in special packaging including a special metal box for $60 coming in August. Black Star Saber (full gallery here) features 6 purple lights and Decepticon symbols for $400 released in December.




Are you getting either of these? Be sure to let us know and what you think in the Energon Pub forums below!

IDW Transformers '84 Secrets and Lies #1 Review

Date: Wednesday, July 15th 2020 8:23am CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Reviews
Posted by: ScottyP

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It's likely been said somewhere that the business of comic books is built on habits. There's the habit of going to your local comic shop on Wednesdays, the habit of ordering products a couple months ahead of time on the second-to-last Friday of the month, and of course the habit of actually reading the books.

The events of 2020 have shattered a great deal of these habits for numerous readers and many are still getting back into the swing of things where possible. We've fallen out of a habit here at Seibertron.com too: reviewing Transformers comics. With our apologies for the absence, let's get back to business with a review of Transformers '84: Secrets and Lies #1, out this Wednesday, July 15th.


Our fandom must have bought a plenty profitable amount of last August's Transformers '84 #0, because not just one follow-up issue is upon us. This expansion of the early stages of the old Marvel G1 Transformers story continues on with the staple tradition of Transformers comics - a four-issue limited series. In many ways this first issue feels like the second, with the narration not missing a beat after Punch's guided tour through issue 0. Counterpunch takes the narrator role this time around, providing a not subtly taken opportunity to expand on the character. Even colorist John-Paul Bove's choice to add in G2 Color Changer Deluge (not to be confused with G2 Aquaspeeder Deluge - this has been your toy trivia for this comic review) and a yellow Hook adds a layer to something Counterpunch basically tells you himself anyway, which is that he's not a reliable narrator. It works really well and lends a coherency to the proceedings as the plot zigs and zags through small cracks in previously established works. The high-level plot and direction here are marvelously executed.


Readers not familiar with Marvel G1 will probably find plenty to enjoy on a quick read, but a deep-dive appreciation will be reserved for those familiar with the G1 books, and by that I mean both Marvel's US and UK output. While this slots into a chronologically similar position as issue 0, the plot plays with events that occur a bit after that first handful (or eight-full depending on your location) of original issues. Extra pages of notes by Simon Furman are provided at the end of the issue that really help guide the way, and these are very much appreciated.


A sub-plot of the story features the Dinobots (or Dynobots in this case since it's pre-Earth) in conflict with Skyfire and Shockwave. The former is novel but the latter is, to be frank, exhausted. I love the Dinobots but found myself getting a sense of déjà vu during this issue. G1, Dreamwave and IDW 1.0 incarnations of the characters feel like they're getting blended together here in a way that sadly feels stale in just their particular case. The story features some very fun moments and interactions, but just feels like the same thing seen before in a different setting. Guido Guidi took this given opportunity to provide some very cool new Cybertronian alt-modes for Slag, Sludge and Snarl, so I can't be too upset about this when all's said and done.


Guidi absolutely nails the line art, capturing the spirit of a book that knew it had to tell a story while also selling toys to kids. There's a grandeur to some of the larger panels that makes the Transformers look to be "more than meets the eye" while panels such as Dirge's toy accurate-ish transformation shown just above hit the "robots in disguise" beat that brand managers must crave. John-Paul Bove's colors are mostly good throughout but on the digital copy there were times the attempted replication of 1980s Marvel's cheapo coloring processes just didn't land for me. While the effort's appreciated, maybe some of those texturing details are better left in the past, and I think Bove's a talented enough colorist to convey a vintage look without having to rely on those stylistic callbacks. Letters are handled by now-regular Jake M. Wood, with careful attention paid to separation in narration and dialogue that keeps the reading experience comfortable. Kudos are also in order for the editorial team of David Mariotte, Tom Waltz and Riley Farmer for making space for the aforementioned continuity notes supplied by Furman, as these really help the experience and don't make me feel like I need to go start another re-read of hundreds of older comics.

On covers there are a plethora of options, with the more readily available "A" cover featuring more work by Guido Guidi while the "B" cover has Casey Coller showing off his G1-style chops featuring colors by Bove. The dynamic (and sorely missed on interiors!) duo of Nick Roche and Josh Burcham supply the 10-copy retailer incentive cover, which is featured in this review's news story thumbnail image. Things don't stop there, as readers that visit shops who order large numbers of copies may be able to snag a 25-copy incentive cover featuring the Dinobots with art by Transformers legend Geoff Senior and colors by, well, Transformers legend Josh Burcham. There were several variant retailer and convention exclusive covers shown in the sample file distributed by IDW to Seibertron.com and other press outlets, however we do not have details on how, when, or even if these will be released at this time. As always, you can also find full credits for the issue in our Vector Sigma Database page for Transformers '84: Secrets and Lies #1.


One word comes to mind that describes this comic: fanservice. Fans of Marvel G1 will feel the love here, as Simon Furman has taken great care to have fun while also not totally wrecking established continuity. The narrator's slightly unreliable slant helps give an opportunity to hand-wave any incongruity while also building up the character in entertaining fashion.

I had a lot of fun reading this book and you probably will too. My subjective opinion is pretty simple: if you like Transformers just go buy a copy, read it while messing around with G1 Dirge or something after school/work/whatever, and just enjoy the nostalgic ride. A more objective analysis is factored into the score below, mostly flavored by all those positive thoughts yet weighed down a bit by a slightly derivative Dinobots/Shockwave sub-plot and '80s Marvel color textures that need to be retired.



This issue's out today, so pick it up on the Seibertron.com eBay store or at your local shop, check here to see if you have one nearby and remember to check first for special hours or restrictions related to public health matters.

Transformers x Back to the Future Gigawatt and Crossover Comic Revealed

Date: Thursday, July 2nd 2020 10:40am CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Toy News
Posted by: ScottyP | Credit(s): Mashable

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Via Mashable we have the first images of the Transformers Collaborative Back to the Future crossover toy, Gigawatt. Gigawatt looks to share many parts and have similar engineering to the War for Cybertron Siege Sideswipe molding, similar to how Ectotron shared elements with Combiner Wars' Hot Spot (among others.)



The image mirrored below is of a "Limited Edition" version of Gigawatt, with 1,985 pieces available starting today at approximately 1 PM EDT on Walmart.com. The link for this currently returns an error page, but is reported by the Mashable article as being here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/TRA-GEN-PROJ ... /504056937?wmlspartner=FYAGeMjDX6c&=&affs=p&wid=5b6b4213e4b0bcb699adeb9f&u1=&oid=223073.10006940&sourceid=37141976172661509211&affillinktype=3&veh=aff



Another version of Gigawatt, for which there are no images thus far, will be made available on October 1st through Hasbro Pulse and other unspecified retail channels.

Additionally, a four-issue crossover comic from IDW Publishing will indeed be happening. No details other than its existence and a pair of cover images were available at this time. Those and more images of the toy are mirrored below.



Good luck to all the Seibertronians looking to score a preorder for the limited edition Gigawatt this afternoon, and keep it here at Seibertron.com for all the latest Transformers news!

Kodansha Releases Transformers Fanbook 2020

Date: Tuesday, June 30th 2020 3:26pm CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: ZeroWolf | Credit(s): Amazon.jp

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Greetings Seibertronians! This news comes from a listing found on Amazon.jp, of a book due out in Japan the first of July. This book, Transformers Fanbook 2020, is published by Kodansha and aimed at a very young audience, featuring colouring pages and puzzles based on the Transformers movieverse cast of characters and Cyberverse cartoon. To entice buyers further, the magazine also comes with legion class Megatron (his The Last Knight release featuring a brand new deco) and legion class Optimus Prime (the RotF mold but using the Optimus and Grimlock Toys R Us 2017 exclusive deco).



The price (in yen) is ¥1078, roughly 9.99 dollars US

What do you think of this? Let us know in the Energon Pub and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews!

IDW Transformers Comics News with New Milne Covers and Art + New Gorgeous Nick Roche Cover

Date: Friday, June 26th 2020 12:03am CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: william-james88 | Credit(s): TFW2005 members Lucas35, Not Blitzwing and Alex Milne

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There has been lots of comic book news recently, now that comics are a regular thing again. The latest Transformers vs Terminator comic came out yesterday and for those that didn't pick it up yet, we have a nice preview of Milne's art available for you below along with the line art. Speaking of Alex Milne, we have quite a bit more from him. We have the line art for his B cover of Transformers: Galaxies issue #11 and a first look at his B cover for Transformers: Galaxies issue #7.

And speaking of awesome artists, we also have a cover from Nick Roche. It's the retail incentive cover for Transformers ’84: Secrets and Lies issue #1. You can see all this awesome art below.

IDW Transformers Comic Book Solicitations for September 2020

Date: Sunday, June 21st 2020 9:18am CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: william-james88 | Credit(s): Previews

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Below you will find the comic book solicitations for all the Transformers comics coming out in September.

Here are the links to Previews as well:

https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL200561

https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL200562

https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL200563

https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL200564

https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/JUL200565

TRANSFORMERS GALAXIES #11 CVR A GRIFFITH

(W) Brandon M. Easton (A/CA) Andrew Griffith
"Storm Horizon," Part Two. Ultra Magnus and his crew embark on a mission to the Black Sphere system-a solar system precariously close to a black hole-in search of a way to bring Alpha Trion back home. When they encounter another Cybertronian, they'll discover there's more to the mystery surrounding Trion's disappearance than meets the eye.
In Shops: Sep 09, 2020
SRP: $3.99




TRANSFORMERS GALAXIES #11 CVR B MILNE




TRANSFORMERS GALAXIES #11 10 COPY INCV CAHILL




TRANSFORMERS HC VOL 03 ALL FALL DOWN

(W) Brian Ruckley, Sam Maggs, Brandon Easton (A) Anna Malkova, Bethany McGuire-Smith, Umi Miyao (CA) Cryssy Cheung
The bold new vision of the Transformers universe that will excite longtime fans and new readers alike continues!

Crisis! The tether holding Cybertron's inner moon to the planet has fallen and hundreds of lives have been lost. As the rubble is sorted through, the Ascenticons are on the move, hoping to leverage the situation and the lives lost in their favor. Meanwhile, the Rise, now under Megatron's command, attempt to hide some of their most vicious members, but putting a bunch of killers in a single transport is never a good idea.
Plus, in response to the crisis at home, the Reversionist faction has fled Cybertron and the teachings of their leader have convinced them that the only way to return is to trigger Cybertron's rebirth. But when the decision comes to Gauge, the youngest Cybertronian, will she spare the planet? And far away from Cybertron, Ultra Magnus has his own problems-namely, a group of sinister mercenaries on the hunt for Cybertronian artifacts.

Collects Transformers #19-24 and Transformers: Galaxies #7-12.
In Shops: Dec 16, 2020
SRP: $49.99




TRANSFORMERS VS TERMINATOR TP

(W) David Mariotte, John Barber, Tom Waltz (A) Alex Milne (CA) Gavin Fullerton
It's Skynet vs. Cybertron in a crossover for the ages!

1984: When a deadly race of machines emerge from another time, will a robotic guardian be able to protect the Earth from a dire future... or will the T-800 fail in his mission to prevent the world from becoming a plaything to the Decepticons? It's up to one Terminator to save the future, and nothing's gonna stand in his way!
In Shops: Nov 25, 2020
SRP: $15.99

IDW Announces Strong Second Quarter Despite Net Losses

Date: Friday, June 19th 2020 1:41am CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, Press Releases, Company News, Book News
Posted by: Emerje | Credit(s): IDW press release

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It's no surprise 2020 hasn't be great for businesses. The comics and publishing industries have been hit especially hard between halted productions, shipping delays, and most retailers only just now starting to come out of quarantine. But despite all of that IDW has announced a strong second quarter to 2020 even with a net loss of $0.04 per share. Revenue dropped to $11.6 million in the second quarter from a first quarter high of $14.1 million, which is no doubt a large drop, but it's a considerable improvement over the 2019 year revenue of $7.8 million.

Much of their growth comes from live action properties like completing production on the first half of season four of Wynonna Earp and Netflix ordering a second season of Locke & Key. They also credit things like puzzles, board games, coloring books and new graphic novels. They were also able to soften the blow of the pandemic through things like Paycheck Protection Program loans amounting to $3.0 million for furloughed employees, the majority of which have returned to work. IDW was also able to do things like focus on "back catalog, digital sales, direct-to-consumer sales, foreign sales, and book market channels" to keep ahead. This is where Transformers would have had the most influence on their revenue despite few titles being mentioned directly in the report.

There's a lot more information at the link above and charts aplenty if you really want to go deep on the details. If you were ever concerned that IDW was in trouble then rest assured that they're doing just fine and more Transformers comics are on the way!

IDW Transformers Comic Book Release Schedule for Summer 2020

Date: Thursday, June 4th 2020 11:03am CDT
Category: Comic Book News
Posted by: ScottyP | Credit(s): IDW Publishing

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IDW Publishing has shared a planned schedule for their various comic releases throughout the summer. As most of our readers are aware, shipments of new comic books stopped in late March due to world events, but have resumed as of last week. So far, none of the delayed Transformers comics set for late March, April or May release have made it out, but IDW has released a plan for when readers should expect these books. While it can possibly be assumed many of these are printed and waiting in a warehouse somewhere, we would also caution readers to expect that the schedule we've copied below could be subject to frequent changes with little-to-no notice, so be sure to check with your local comic shop before heading out on Wednesdays for the next few months if you have doubts about what's available.

A copy of IDW's announcement is below, followed by the dates for Transformers-related comic releases. You can see the full schedule of IDW Publishing comic releases on IDW's website.

IDW Reveals Comic Book Direct Market Publishing Schedule for Summer 2020

SAN DIEGO, CA (May 26, 2020) – IDW Publishing (OTCQX: IDWM), the award-winning publisher of comic books and graphic novels, is thrilled to announce its revised Direct Market release schedule for Summer 2020. With world-renowned brands like Sonic The Hedgehog and Transformers, groundbreaking original series like Usagi Yojimbo and Sleeping Beauties, acclaimed celebrations of the comics medium like Dave Cockrum’s X-Men Artifact Edition and Parker: The Martini Edition - Last Call, and everything in-between, IDW is perfectly poised to bring readers the summertime thrills they’ve been longing for -- all available from your friendly neighborhood comic shops!

“It’s been a crazy time for everybody,” says John Barber, Editor in Chief at IDW. “I’m really excited about finally bringing people the thing that brings us together: comics and books. There’s a really wide range of comics and graphic novels coming from IDW this summer — some you’ve probably been waiting for, and some that are new surprises. For me, the real magic is that there are stories here for everyone, from every walk of life.”

Chris Ryall, IDW’s President, Publisher, and CCO, says, “We’ve all been waiting -- fans, retailers, and our staff alike -- fervently and sometimes with a bit of understandable restlessness. Our thanks go out to all of you for letting us continue to make, ship, and sell comics to you. None of us take that opportunity for granted – and we will all continue to strive to make any purchase you make worth your time and your money.”

• Transformers #20
• Transformers: The IDW Collection – Phase 2 Vol. 11 Hardcover

• Transformers vs. The Terminator #2 (of 4)

• Transformers: Galaxies #7

• Transformers ‘84: Secrets & Lies #1 (of 4)
  Simon Furman returns! Accompanied by the equally accomplished Guido Guidi and John-Paul Bove, the beloved writer tells a new tale in the original Transformers comic universe, hot off the heels of the successful Transformers ’84 #0 one-shot! As the Cybertronian Civil War rages, Decepticon scientist Shockwave has encountered a new obstacle to the Decepticon’s victory and subjugation of the planet: an obstacle called Megatron!

• My Little Pony / Transformers #1 (of 4)
  When Queen Chrysalis casts a spell looking for more changelings, she accidentally interferes with a malfunctioning Spacebridge! What’s this mean for our favorite fillies? There are suddenly a bunch of Autobots and Decepticons in Equestria! And as the dust settles, Rarity and Arcee find themselves teaming up against a hostile Decepticon force…
• Transformers #21

• My Little Pony / Transformers #2 (of 4)
• Transformers #22
• Transformers: Galaxies #8

• Transformers ’84: Secrets and Lies #2 (of 4)
• Transformers vs. The Terminator #3 (of 4)

• Transformers: Galaxies #9
• Transformers Vol. 2: Change in Their Nature Hardcover

IDW Comics News Roundup with Layoffs Announced, Simon Furman Commentary and TF VS Terminator Cover

Date: Monday, May 25th 2020 11:56pm CDT
Categories: Comic Book News, People News, Company News
Posted by: william-james88 | Credit(s): Bleeding Cool and SYFY

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News on the comics front was a bit slow due to IDW and other big publishers choosing to postpone their release of new comics during part of the pandemic. Well, we got a lot of news all at once and some of it is pandemic related and quite sad. Quite a bit of the senior staff at IDW who were furloughed initially have now been laid off. This includes Managing Editor Denton Tipton, Associate Publisher David Hedgecock, Senior Graphic Artist Gilberto Lazcano, Senior Graphic Designer Christa Miesner and Brand & Marketing Manager Spencer Reeve.

On the Transformers side of things, we have some new art with Freddie Williams II's retail incentive cover for Transformers vs. The Terminator 4. You can see it below. It will be coming out June 24th. And you can discuss about that series here.



Last but most certainly not least, we have Simon Furman discussing the first 4 pages of the upcoming Transformers '84: Secrets & Lies. This is set before Marvel's first issue of Transformers, and we have a nice shot of Jetfire working alongside his Decepticon brethren. The article comes to us from SYFY. This book is coming out in July and you can discuss that series here

“The attack on Stanix is also referenced by Optimus Prime in Transformers ’84 #0, dovetailing the narratives somewhat. Ratbat made his U.S. comic book debut in TF US #27, which established his role (on Cybertron) as the Decepticons’ fuel auditor, and here he plays a bigger role in the unfolding events. By the way, Shockwave’s solution (on the following pages) provides another key twist to established/formative events in Transformers (Marvel) #1.”