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Courtesy as has now become customary of Loopaza Mega Store on Facebook, we have the full scans of the latest issue of Japanese hobby magazine Figure King #241, featuring a lengthy, 24-page article on the evolution of Autobot / Cybertron leader Optimus Prime - from which we also got the Masterpiece 3.0 rumoured teaser covered here - and an interview with the Takara Tomy design team.
Hi-Res Scan Figure King No. 241 Transformers
This month's Figure King's cover a whole story Convoy history.
From the very beginning of 1st G1 Convoy/Optimus Prime to the Power of The Primes series.
Also there's line up of Japanese Studio Series and the interview regarding the new Convoy Project. Will it be the MP Convoy 3.0?
Let's see.
The full interview has been translated by a team of fans over on fellow fansite TFW2005, and we've mirrored highlights from the text below. We copiously thank Deruji, Sam. and Timesynch for their invaluable work - you can read it as you run through the images of Optimus Prime / Convoy figures through the years, including the likes of Binaltech, Beast Era, Unicron Trilogy, movie verse and more (maybe even comparing to our own 247 galleries of him!), and then let us know what you think in the Energon Pub!
Greeting next years 35th anniversary by taking a look at the various Convoys from Transformers’ history.
For the planned conclusion at the end of the special, we will hear from the founder, Takara Tomy, according to volunteers from the Transformers Team Development Staff.
Kunihiro Takashi: Joined the company in 1984. He is the only senior member that was involved in the product development since the series’ early days.
Hasui Shōgo: Joined the company in 1999. He is mainly responsible for projects with Hasbro. During the start of the movies he proposed concepts.
Kobayashi Hironori: Joined the company in 1999. He joined the series from “Car Robots” onwards. He has been involved in Masterpiece and Binaltech.
Memories of Convoy.
–First everyone, let’s hear about your impression from the time you came in contact with the first Convoy.
Kunihiro: I was a student at that time. He wasn’t a “Transformer” yet, just Battle Convoy from “Diaclone”. I looked at him feeling: “This looks like such a good product~”. But then he went to America and the name changed to “Transformers”. Then afterwards he returned to Japan. In Japan he was also sold as a “Transformer”, which was surprising.
Hasui: That was also my first impression of “Diaclone”. Because Battle Convoy appeared in that way as a “Transformer”, it was at first something that was a little hard to accept. Although he was a favourite character from “Diaclone”…(laugh). Actually, my attention turned towards “Transformers” when there were new products that weren’t from the “Diaclone”-era… Such as Scramble [City] combiners from that point on with those kind of new products. I think what I understood about Convoy at that time was, “Didn’t he used to be Battle Convoy?”
Kobayashi: I was also a child that grew up with “Diaclone” and “Microman”. Because of that, when I also suddenly saw Convoy, who had returned as a “Transformer”, my first impression was, “Heh, don’t I know this guy?” (laugh).
Kunihiro: Around what time was that?
Kobayashi: Around the upper grades of elementary school. It was the time when I was slowly growing too old for toys… but, “Transformers” had a story and setting that were totally cool. Therefore, because of that reunion, my feelings turned back to the world of toys. I remember getting the impression that “Diaclone” and “Microman” had returned customised for us.
Hasui: That’s right. Convoy, for being the main character or chosen as the key character, had amazing conviction. He felt sufficiently able to stand up to being the presence that gathers the car robots together. The product’s gimmick and design matched this as well.
[...]
Let’s Make The Ultimate Convoy.
–When the first Masterpiece was released, it made an impact.
Kobayashi: Because it’s “Commander Convoy”, the symbol of the Transformers, the idea that we wanted to make a monumental item was born. It was a challenge to attempt to make something that completely fixated on a transformation mechanism, because the Masterpiece was an independent project without restrictions, and a chance to use a design that followed the anime more closely.
Hasui: Wanting to release another Convoy with MP-10 was a plan that started through chance, made by the release of Rodimus Convoy. A story came up that when Rodimus Convoy was lined up with MP-1 that there was an uneasy feeling due to the size.
Kobayashi: From the start, the Masterpiece itself was a planned project that was to end after one figure. Afterwards, when I realised that it wouldn’t be continued, MP-1 was a little on the large side. It had the image of a 12 inch figure.
Hasui: If we were to make it new anyway, not just Rodimus, but also the following car robots needed to be thought about while being developed. That is why after that item all are unified to a sense of scale. The appeal of Transformers, I think, is that when you line up Convoy and his subordinates together, they look better.
Kunihiro: Anyway, it was the trend to try and give them the responsibility, because the two that joined the company said they liked Transformers.
–In that regard, does the newest “Power of the Primes” version Optimus have the impression of following MP-10’s design?
Kunihiro: In the preceding year we had Power Master, and because this was to be another leader class Convoy it was necessary to use a completely different approach. That’s why, although we did not have the concept of Orion Pax combining back then, we thought about the challenge of “Can an ‘Ultimate Convoy’ be made?” Therefore, after thinking whether MP-10 was the most Convoy-like Convoy, we realised he was. With the successful appropriation of the digital data, the head with MP-10 serving as the base, was refined. Because the transformation is different we were able to balance the windows of the chest more skilfully than the MP. We had the strong realisation that… it didn’t seem very Power Master-y; on the contrary, didn’t it seem to settle into a shape that looked more like a stoic Convoy?
Coming at us via Deadline, and from a while back admittedly - blame Toy Fair 2018 coverage, that's what I'm doing - we have the news that producer Ian Bryce, who worked on all of the five live-action Transformers movies, has left Paramount for streaming company Netflix.
You can read more about the move and the projects involved directly at the source, or look at the relevant snippet right below! With the alleged movie reboot still wafting in the air, having a complete overhaul of producing and creative team may not be entirely unfeasible, and this seems to be another point for that camp. Check it out, and join the discussion in the Energon Pub.
In a move that signals the growing feature film ambitions of Netflix, the streaming service has made a multi-year first look deal with Ian Bryce, the producer of big scale films that include Saving Private Ryan, Almost Famous, War Machine, and the Transformers franchise. Bryce and his Ian Bryce Productions will move from Paramount Pictures. The producer first worked with Netflix on the David Michod-directed Brad Pitt-starrer War Machine, and the plan is to build on that relationship and have Bryce be a core supplier. On the film side, this follows a recent deal with War for the Planet of the Apes and the next Batman director Matt Reeves and his 6th & Idaho banner. It also follows the groundbreaking TV deal Netflix made with Ryan Murphy.
We just received another update from TFNation headquarters about another guest added to the roster for the 2018 edition of the event taking place in Birmingham, UK, this 17-19 August! Check out more information below, and head here to book your tickets now!
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With the new year in full swing, the TFNation team is happy to announce another returning guest to our ever-expanding roster: comics colourist and writer John-Paul Bove!
Known to many as JP, he is currently recolouring classic Marvel UK stories for Hachette’s Transformers: The Definitive Generation One Collection, and has been the main colour artist for IDW Publishing’s Transformers: ReGeneration One – the continuation of the original Marvel US series – plus the Drift: Empire of Stone mini-series, several BotCon / FunPub comics, and an entire collection of cover work with several artists in the Transformers world for IDW. Outside of Transformers, his visual work can be found on titles such as G.I. Joe, Dr Who, Action Man, and Judge Dredd, while his writing includes the BotCon 2016 ‘Dawn of the Predacus’ comic, Panini’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and creator-owned horror one-shot UnEarth.
JP will be attending all weekend, and offering his skills and services to fans - if you’re picking up an art commission at TFNation, make sure to book him early and get it coloured at the event!
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We received another press release from comics publisher IDW Publishing today, concerning something which has nothing much to do with Transformers, but does directly affect its CEO Ted Adamsas he joins the board of directors over at the non-profit organisation Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
If you've never encountered the CBLDF or their work, they primarily focus on freedom of speech in matters where comics are involved, such as schools or councils removing books from their libraries, and protection of creators who might come under threat of actual censorship. You can read the full press release below, and read more about the organisation here!
San Diego, CA (February 22, 2018) – The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting First Amendment rights, is proud to welcome Ted Adams to its Board of Directors. As founder and CEO of IDW Media Holdings, Adams oversees one of the nation's leading comics publishing brands whose dedication to developing new readers, preserving comics history, and providing avenues for important creative voices to flourish aligns with CBLDF's important work of protecting the freedom to read comics.
Adams remarks, "The freedoms we have because of the First Amendment can only survive if everyone knows and understands their rights, and if we’re willing to fight to keep them. I’ve long admired the work the CBLDF does to achieve those principles. My goal is to help the office team and Board continue to educate the comics community about their rights and to be there to defend those rights whenever and wherever necessary."
CBLDF President Larry Marder says, “Ted's dedication to free expression is matched only by his entrepreneurial zeal and prudent business acumen. Our career paths have crossed often, but never so meaningfully as they do now when we join forces to advance CBLDF's important work!”
Adams's addition to the CBLDF Board of Directors bolsters the organization’s efforts to protect First Amendment rights of readers, creators, librarians, retailers, publishers, and educators who face the threat of censorship. Adams joins creators Reginald Hudlin, the iconic writer, producer and director behind films including Marshall, Django Unchained and the Black Panther animated series; three-time Newbery honoree Jennifer L. Holm; celebrated comics authors and executives Paul Levitz and Larry Marder; Bone creator Jeff Smith; as well as industry leaders Jeff Abraham, president of Penguin Random House Publisher Services; legendary IP litigator Dale Cendali, a Partner at Kirkland & Ellis, LLP; ICv2 CEO Milton Griepp; Sequential Tart founder Katherine Keller; DCBS Service co-owner Christina Merkler, and Chris Powell, VP Retailer Services at Diamond Comics Distributors, in serving on the Fund’s Board in direct oversight of its activities protecting the freedom to read.
For more than thirty years, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has protected the First Amendment rights of comics field and developed powerful education efforts in the service of the community. In 2017, CBLDF responded to more than thirty censorship cases while developing important resources including Panel Power - a handbook for parents about the value of comics in encouraging literacy. In 2018, the Fund will maintain its readiness in legal emergencies, while developing new programs, including Retailer Rights Workshops, a touring series of training events for comic store staff that illuminates the law and best practices for protecting the right to sell creative content. To learn more about CBLDF, please visit http://www.cbldf.org.
About Ted Adams
Ted Adams is the CEO of IDW Media Holdings, which includes IDW’s publishing, games, and entertainment divisions – all founded by Adams — as well as CTM Media, a digital print and advertising firm. As the CEO of IDWM, Adams develops and oversees the execution of IDWM’s strategic growth plans, including development of its key media properties, publishing titles, and licensing initiatives.
Since founding IDW Publishing in 1999, IDW has been awarded “Publisher of the Year” five times by Diamond Comic Distributors and dozens of Eisner and Harvey Awards. IDW titles have also been regularly featured on the New York Times Best Seller List.
IDW, through its Top Shelf division, publishes Congressman John Lewis’s three-volume graphic novel autobiography, March. The March trilogy of books have won many awards including the National Book Award – the first time a graphic novel has received that prestigious honor, multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards, four American Library Association awards, and was named the #1 non-fiction book of 2016 by Time magazine.
IDW Entertainment launched in 2013 and has seen two shows on air in the US – Wynonna Earp on Syfy and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency on BBCA. Adams is an Executive Producer on both of those shows. Wynonna Earp was named one of the Top 20 new shows of 2016 by Variety magazine and was nominated for a GLAAD award in 2016 and 2017.
Adams is also on the Board of Directors of Traveling Stories, a San Diego based non-profit that helps children in underserved communities fall in love with reading.
Adams has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Southern Oregon University and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.
We have been sent some news from TFcon Toronto, about a new guest announcement for their 2018 edition of the event, taking place on July 13-15th: voice of Beast Wars Megatron among many many others, voice actor David Kaye! Find out more below, and head to TFcon's website for all other info on the convention, too.
We are very pleased to welcome David Kaye to TFcon Toronto 2018. Transformers fans will recognize him as the voice of Megatron in Beast Wars, Beast Machines, Armada, Energon and Cybertron, as well as Optimus Prime in Transformers Animated.
David will be taking part in Q&A panels and autograph sessions with the attendees of the world’s largest fan-run Transformers convention all weekend long.
David Kaye is presented by TFcon Toronto 2018 sponsor The Chosen Prime
We've received another email update from the TFNation team, and it contains another guest announcement for this year's Birmingham, UK, convention! In addition to their already star-studded list of guests, including Nick Roche, James Roberts, and Stan Bush, original Transformers comic artist Mike Collins will be in attendance! You might know him from his involvement in the original Marvel TF comics, or his work with the Transformers Ladybird series of books, or his storyboard work for Doctor Who and Sherlock! Check out the full guest description, provided by TFNation, below!
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A new guest joining us for TFNation 2018, but by no means a newcomer to the Transformers scene is artist Mike Collins! Mike was the hands behind the Man of Iron (1985/87), the first story in the Marvel comics originating in the UK, and several more, eventually also co-writing Crisis of Command! (1985-86), which introduced the recurring self-doubting character trait in Optimus Prime.
Despite leaving the comics by the end of 1985, he didn’t leave Transformers entirely behind: along with Mike Farmer, he illustrated the first four Ladybird Transformers books, which became the gateway to Transformers fiction for a number of children at the time.
Mike continued to contribute to other comics, though moving into Action Force, the European precursor to G.I. Joe, which also included recent returner and fan-favourite Action Man. Mike later made his way to 2000AD, Marvel and DC, and his art can be found in the pages of Flash, Teen Titans, and The Uncanny X-Men – where he first introduced the questionable but charming character of Gambit. He has also worked on the likes of Star Trek, Wonder Woman, several 2000AD titles, and as of 2005, returning to UK material with Doctor Who Magazine, and the two Doctor Who original Graphic Novels published by the BBC.
A name you might also know from outside of comics, Mike has provided storyboards for TV and films including Doctor Who, Horrid Henry, and Sherlock.
Mike will be present at TFNation 2018 all weekend, signing autographs, talking fandom, and probably willing to sketch some art for attendees
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In this quick video, Hailee Steinfeld talks about how excited she is to be a part of the upcoming Bumblebee: The Movie. For those who do not know Hailee Steinfeld's character is a girl named Charlie who discovers Bumblebee near a junkyard. The two develop a connection and team up for adventure. We can tell that she is a fan of Bumblebee as a character and admires the heart that this robot has. We have posted the video below so that you can see for yourself!
If you would like to know more about Hailee Steinfeld we have an interview with her about the soundtrack from Bumblebee: The movie.
The transcript for Hasbro's latest Quarterly Investors call is up on Seeking Alpha, as are the presentation slides. In it, we realize a major talking point was how Star Wars toys had under-performed while the Transformers brand was very strong. As a matter of fact, as Brian Goldner states, "TRANSFORMERS in the fourth quarter was in dollar terms, our biggest growing brand".
The slides that accompanied the numbers shown today, which were posted earlier, mention Transformers as a major component of growth in Franchise Brands in 2017 (more than 10% growth in net revenue) while they also particularly call out Star Wars as a loss when it came to partner brands (aka brands Hasbro do not own) that could not be offset by any gain for other partner brands. Please remember that performance is all about percentages and this does not mean that one sold more than the other. It simply means that Transformers sold better than anticipated (and compared to previous years) while Star Wars sold less than anticipated. But of course, since the inventory is linked to the anticipated sales, unsold inventory will translate to losses for the company regardless of how many units did sell.
Goldner spoke specifically about the contrast between the Star Wars and Transformers brand on an international scale.
Goldner about Star Wars
Look, I view it through the lens of the fact that we saw challenges in Europe and we saw challenges particularly in the U.K. that's a major market for properties like STAR WARS. So, I would say that clearly both the paid marketing and earned marketing, the fans in the U.S. really helped to deliver a strong box office here, it also delivered a very strong box office, globally.
But in terms of the retail takeaway and sell-in, was lower in particularly outsized impact in places like Europe and in our international market, just represent more of the line share, the decline in percentage terms. And that's what we've seen.
Followed directly by his comments on the Transformers brand.
So, right. It's a great global property. But by contrast, just to give you an example; TRANSFORMERS international business was incredibly strong; the U.S. business was strong; the brand overall was strong.
There was also a very interesting tidbit about how Hasbro now has a plan in place in case Toysrus no longer exists.
Our team has built a plan for the right sizing of the Toys "R" Us business.
We have continued to grow the number of doors and continued to grow our revenues outside of Toys "R" Us. We continue to be supportive of them but most importantly we continue to manage our risk and inventory as they streamline the amount of inventory they can take. And we are prepared for any eventuality.
Another Transformers related question came about when discussing how the 2018 Bumblebee movie, coming out December 22nd, will have some tough competition with Spider-man, Aquaman, and Star Wars all being out at the same time. The analyst asked if this would make things challenging for Bumblebee.
Brian Goldner was not worried in the least:
No. look, if you look at TRANSFORMERS, I think that we go from strength-to-strength. This year, TRANSFORMERS in the fourth quarter was in dollar terms, our biggest growing brand. And overall for the year grew very strong double-digits. It's because we are perpetually engaged with our audience by demographic and psychographic.
We have a preschool RESCUE BOTS show, we have our Cyberverse focused on our core kid six-to-nine year-old. We continue to run more adult oriented content on Machinima for that fan. Fan business is growing in a very significant manner. And then of course we have our movies. It was a movie year but our products were about the movie but also about all these other dimensions of TRANSFORMERS.
So, this is a brand that's working everywhere globally, it's a brand that's exceedingly strong and getting stronger in China. We'll talk more at Toy Fair about the major global initiatives and in gaming and how this brand comes to life. So, when we talk about our Bumblebee movie, it's really the focal point of an entire blueprint activation that will take place around that time of year.
And we will bring to bear all of the different strengths and power inside the blueprint to bring Bumblebee and TRANSFORMERS to life at that time. So, we know that there is an amazing array of entertainment with the beneficiaries of a lot of that that's in the world today and we think our brand like Bumblebee and TRANSFORMERS holds its own.
Hopefully this last bit about the Bumblebee movie being key to Hasbro's "blueprint" means we will see some reveals from this film at Toyfair, two Saturdays from now, though nothing is really confirmed as to which toys will be shown there.
We have an additional peek into the current state and direction of the upcoming Bumblebee The Movie, thanks to an interview from Billboard magazine! They stopped Hailey Steinfeld, the movie's star, on the red carpet of this year's Grammy's to ask her about her upcoming music and her upcoming Transformers project!
In addition to being an actress, she's a talented musician, with several chart-scaling hits, so obviously one of the questions asked was about if she had any intention to produce music for Bumblebee. She revealed she might be producing some and collaborating with...Bumblebee?!?!
Take a look at the full transcript of the interview below, speculate down in the Energon Pub Forums, and stay tuned to Seibertron.com for any further updates on Bee's budding music career!
INT: You're working on some new music you told, you told Billboard about some new music that you're working on and how it's going to take kind of a different direction this time around; what can we say about it?
H: Well you know it's funny, I'm, I'm in the process, I mean I've been, I've been working on music for a while, um, and it's funny cause obviously a movie can come up and take me sort of out of the game for two, three months. Um, and so I do feel like, as much as I could say I'm sort of in "album mode" or the "next EP" mode, I'm still experimenting. Uh, and I'm still really figuring out what that sound is and what direction we might call it. So um, I'm working on it.
INT: I like the, that's a good answer. Cause you've had lots of hits already, like over the past four years you keep having hit after hit. So whatever you're doing, it's working. Um, you're going to be an advisor on The Voice this season, um, you're going to be giving great sage advice to a lot of folks. What is a great piece of advice that you yourself have gotten, maybe from another musician in the business?
H: Well I am very lucky, I feel like I've, I've gotten quite a lot of great advice, um, from some amazing people and amazing artists. Uh, but I just think, really just never losing sight of, of who you are and what makes you happy. I think there obviously are a lot of people that are going to have a lot of opinions, um, about who you are, what you do, how you do certain things, how you look. Um, and it's important that regardless, whatever you end up doing is for you.
INT: One last question: You're in the new Bumblebee movie-
H: Yes!
INT: It's coming, I think at the end of this year.
H: Yeah.
INT: Are you going to be singing with the car? I'm just wondering.
H: *Laughs* Uh, there may be a little, uh, plot twist [joking tone] Bumblebee actually may be singing. Um, I do hope the, uh - the movie takes place in the 80's and there are some incredible 80's references in terms of music. So, I'm hoping that maybe uh, y'know, post-production-wise I can jump in on a, on a little something.
INT: 80's covers, perhaps?
H: 80's covers perhaps.
INT: Thank you so much Hailee, have a great night.
Yet another update just in time for the weekend, from the folks at TFNation - the UK's biggest Transformers fan convention, taking place for the third year this summer in Birmingham - and it's another name from the comics: Nick Roche!
Currently busy on Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, you can read more about the Transformers fan that ran off to non-robot things (but will still do covers) below. And make sure to book your tickets once they go on sale on February 3rd!
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One of the returning guests to TFNation 2018 is currently only involved in Transformers by the series of variant covers for ongoing IDW Publishing comics series Transformers: Lost Light, but Nick Roche still holds a dear place in the fandom since his noteworthy debut on Spotlight: Shockwave (as artist) and Spotlight: Kup (as artist and writer).
Another of the original Transmasters UK fan community members, during the era of early Marvel comics, Roche has collaborated with writer James Roberts (also attending the TFNation) on fan-favourite Last Stand of the Wreckers, and took it solo, with Josh Burcham on colours, on its moving sequel - Sins of the Wreckers.
Since then, Roche has been seen mostly outside of the printed realm of Transformers comics, working as co-creator and artist on one-shots Monster Motors and Monster Motors: The Curse of Minivan Helsing (with Brian Lynch), and interior artist on Marvel’s Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War: Death’s Head II, New Warriors, and most recently Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (with Jody Houser). He also regularly contributes cover art to Marvel and IDW comics, including the likes of Clue, Deadpool vs The Punisher, Doctor Who, Robotech, TMNT, and more.
Nick Roche will be attending all weekend, and offering autographs and sketches to attendees – though please check in advance for availability for personalised artwork. You can find out more about his pre-order list at his blog (https://nickroche.blogspot.co.uk/) closer to TFNation 2018.
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