Retail Incentive Cover Variant for IDW Transformers vs Visionaries #1 by Cahill / Bennett

Merklyn a war criminal lording it as prince?

I think I'll stick with the 80's Visionaries thanks.

Placing some actual marketing and promotion behind one of their future ventures, IDW Publishing's own Tumblr blog has uploaded some unlettered pages from the soon to begin Transformers vs The Visionaries crossover mini-series, written by Magdalene Visaggio and with art by Fico Ossio - in fact, the opening pages of issue #1!

The series, which will follow on directly from the events in First Strike, sees a reimagining of a number of characters, including Leoric and Virulina, which we see in the pages below... about to face, or encounter, Kup and Ironhide! Check out the images below, let us know what you think, and join the discussion in the Energon Pub.

Transformers Vs. The Visionaries #1
Cybertron has been invaded, and the Transformers encounter unwelcome guests at the heart of their planet.
Written by: Magdalene Visaggio
Illustrated by: Fico Ossio
A Cover by: Fico Ossio

booooooo

Yaaaaaaaaaaa!

Ironhide needs a hide upgrade.

I never got into Visionaries and I don't want to now, so I'll pass. The Transformers would crush these fleshies, just like they would crush almost anyone.

Poor Ironhide and Kup's face just looks creepy to me.

I agree that many of the humans are a bit "Mary Sue" in these comics. Most TFs would win, easily

Also, I still don't like the new Leoric, for the save reasons I didn't like the new Matt Tracker. I'm all up for character development, new characters or characters changing jobs/positions of authority, but extensive changes with no reasons why, just for the sake of it seem to be insensitive to the source material and fans of the original show, aesthetic, etc.

Wake me up when Leoric looks like this: - http://visionaries.wikia.com/wiki/Leoric

I'm with Primalxconvoy.
As with MASK this comes from Hasbro direct and IDW are happy to play the fall guy.

I think like with Marvel Transformers and GIJoe RAH they should try and continue the classic continuity in a limited series.

But ultimately I'm passing on IDW continuity until further notice.

As ever I'm happy for those that do still enjoy it.

Can someone explain to me what the premise of this series is? I get that the visionaries come from a world where science and technology isn't really a thing, so they need magic animal powers. Why are the transformers involved? Why isn't Kup hanging out with action man?

Was any of this explained in first strike? I didn't bother finishing it and I don't care about spoilers.

ricemazter wrote:Can someone explain to me what the premise of this series is? I get that the visionaries come from a world where science and technology isn't really a thing, so they need magic animal powers. Why are the transformers involved? Why isn't Kup hanging out with action man?

Was any of this explained in first strike? I didn't bother finishing it and I don't care about spoilers.

Yep, all explained in last issue of First Strike: Kreiger is actually Merklynn, and he uses the Talisman to 'terraform' Cybertron into New Prysmos. He only manages a little bit, but still - he wants to use it to remove technology and reinstate magic, blah blah blah. He also wakes up Unicron while he does it, because reasons.

Va'al wrote:

ricemazter wrote:Can someone explain to me what the premise of this series is? I get that the visionaries come from a world where science and technology isn't really a thing, so they need magic animal powers. Why are the transformers involved? Why isn't Kup hanging out with action man?

Was any of this explained in first strike? I didn't bother finishing it and I don't care about spoilers.

Yep, all explained in last issue of First Strike: Kreiger is actually Merklynn, and he uses the Talisman to 'terraform' Cybertron into New Prysmos. He only manages a little bit, but still - he wants to use it to remove technology and reinstate magic, blah blah blah. He also wakes up Unicron while he does it, because reasons.

The best reasons are 'reasons'. [Probably a quote from Donald Trump.]

This quote from The Simpsons via The Urban Dictionary seems appropriate for Visionaries:

'A wizard did it'
Phrase originating from the Simpsons, used in response to fans pointing out plot holes, continuity errors, and any mistakes the animators or writers may've made.

Voice Actor: "Whenever you see something strange with continuity, a wizard did it."

Fan: "But when-"

Voice Actor: "A wizard did it."

snavej wrote:This quote from The Simpsons via The Urban Dictionary seems appropriate for Visionaries:

'A wizard did it'
Phrase originating from the Simpsons, used in response to fans pointing out plot holes, continuity errors, and any mistakes the animators or writers may've made.

Voice Actor: "Whenever you see something strange with continuity, a wizard did it."

Fan: "But when-"

Voice Actor: "A wizard did it."

Slight tweak, if I may: A Hasbro wizard did it.
Their name is Orbsah. Obviously.

Va'al wrote:

snavej wrote:This quote from The Simpsons via The Urban Dictionary seems appropriate for Visionaries:

'A wizard did it'
Phrase originating from the Simpsons, used in response to fans pointing out plot holes, continuity errors, and any mistakes the animators or writers may've made.

Voice Actor: "Whenever you see something strange with continuity, a wizard did it."

Fan: "But when-"

Voice Actor: "A wizard did it."

Slight tweak, if I may: A Hasbro wizard did it.
Their name is Orbsah. Obviously.

Just started watching "Agents of Shield", season 5, and they're taking about "magic" being responsible.

Seems legit.

primalxconvoy wrote:

I agree that many of the humans are a bit "Mary Sue" in these comics. Most TFs would win, easily

Also, I still don't like the new Leoric, for the save reasons I didn't like the new Matt Tracker. I'm all up for character development, new characters or characters changing jobs/positions of authority, but extensive changes with no reasons why, just for the sake of it seem to be insensitive to the source material and fans of the original show, aesthetic, etc.

Wake me up when Leoric looks like this: - http://visionaries.wikia.com/wiki/Leoric

Well played sir.
You must be a carpenter as you've hit many nails square on the head.

Cheers! This one went down better then my last attempt...

Va'al wrote:

snavej wrote:This quote from The Simpsons via The Urban Dictionary seems appropriate for Visionaries:

'A wizard did it'
Phrase originating from the Simpsons, used in response to fans pointing out plot holes, continuity errors, and any mistakes the animators or writers may've made.

Voice Actor: "Whenever you see something strange with continuity, a wizard did it."

Fan: "But when-"

Voice Actor: "A wizard did it."

Slight tweak, if I may: A Hasbro wizard did it.
Their name is Orbsah. Obviously.

Why always blame Hasbro when it was more likely an IDW decision considering they were the ones who came up with the Universe in the first place?

Daniel Adkins wrote:

Va'al wrote:

snavej wrote:This quote from The Simpsons via The Urban Dictionary seems appropriate for Visionaries:

'A wizard did it'
Phrase originating from the Simpsons, used in response to fans pointing out plot holes, continuity errors, and any mistakes the animators or writers may've made.

Voice Actor: "Whenever you see something strange with continuity, a wizard did it."

Fan: "But when-"

Voice Actor: "A wizard did it."

Slight tweak, if I may: A Hasbro wizard did it.
Their name is Orbsah. Obviously.

Why always blame Hasbro when it was more likely an IDW decision considering they were the ones who came up with the Universe in the first place?

Because it's funnier..?

To me, anyway.

Coming from the meanders of the online retailer that is Amazon.com, we have a listing for the next miniseries crossover from IDW Publishing, bringing together magic and technology in another confrontation - as we see the aftermath and consequences of the First Strike event in.. Transformers vs The Visionaries!

The collected trade in the listing is currently priced at $12.11 (retail price $17.99), with a due release date of August 2018. We have a synopsis blurb, and a provisional cover (this may be confirmed at a later date, but it is currently identical to the issue #1 cover, lower banner with both franchises' logo included). The series itself should be starting shortly, with Magdalene Visaggio on writing duties, and Fico Ossio on interior art - check it out here!

A word of warning for those who want to go into the story entirely unaware of the potential plots: the blurb below does contain some minor spoilers on factions and allegiances between the Prysmos and Cybertron characters, to skip it to avoid them.

Cybertron has been invaded. The Transformers encounter unwelcome guests at the heart of their planet--and they may not have their hosts' best interests at heart.

Refugees from another world, the Visionaries' startling magical abilities could make them powerful allies... or dangerous enemies. It turns out there are some of each. When Virulina, leader of the Darkling Lords, discovers that the Transformers are vulnerable to magic, she uses that weakness to try and gain control of Cybertron! Leoric of the Spectral Knight teams up with Ironhide to stop her, but they quickly find themselves facing not just the Lords, but all of New Prysmos itself.

I'm not up on what other media formats have been doing with the Visionaries, but wasn't "Darkstorm" the leader of the Darkling lords? Virulina never even had an action figure, they just kind of tossed her into the cartoon show so there could be a woman character on each team, right?

I've no problem with more female characters in this, but my beef is for the McGuffin of TFs being vulnerable to"magic". I don't buy that. In the TF universe, "magic" is really just old, unexplained science, such as the "matrix" or "sparks", etc.

Also, why not include some sort of connection between transforming? Biological beings using energy to transform into energon animals? Connections to Beast Wars/Machines? Battle Beasts?

Mind you, if IDW handled Battle Beasts, White Lio would be a female Jaguar in a pink wheelchair with the power to eat Transformers, or something.

Someone needs to do a scale, showing depictions of one character, or idea, drawn from "IDW" at the "far left" and "Kiss Players/Sikomofo" at the far right, with Marvel G1 and Dreamwave, etc somewhere in there, too". Then we can see where the balance is!

Damn that is one violent cover, Ironhide always dies the most gruesome deaths.

Any way I guess getting a trade would be a better read than buying them individually. I was a bit lost reading First Strike, until I followed a reading order online to get the full story.

Basically the IDW Hasbrouniverse is season 3 of G1 cartoon. Humanity has caught up to the Cybertronians, there are many factions and the civil war as we knew it was over.

Part of that convoluted plot and almost cryptic reading order is what keeps me away from comics like this. I just want the whole story, in order, in I've go. Imagine if TV shows were like that, with lots of different spinoff shows all on at the save time!

DeathReviews wrote:I'm not up on what other media formats have been doing with the Visionaries, but wasn't "Darkstorm" the leader of the Darkling lords? Virulina never even had an action figure, they just kind of tossed her into the cartoon show so there could be a woman character on each team, right?

its because IDW have been chasing Marvel down the SJW rabbit hole.

im all for changes to update a property , but NOT for political motivated reasons and this has that stank all over it now.

i mean FFS did they learn nothing from the whole gi joe fiasco? i honestly havent felt this opposed to what their putting out since costa was writing the ongoing.

im out.

Politics, social justice or social issues are fine and welcome, as far as I'm concerned. It's the degree of inclusion or exclusion of the readership that's of issue. How can we include sexuality, politics, social issues and other commentary that is appropriate, relevant, respectful of the source material and doesn't impede on the story?

thats pretty much the definition of an editors job.

with ryall back in the big seat ive got hope, but'll be months yet before the punters can tell as the previous regiemes output is still to be released.

a bit of diversity in thought couldnt go astray in the field though. its kinda scary how homogynised the authors are in terms of their world view.

they gotta do somthing though, they cant take another year like this. it was financially crushing.

It sure does sound a lot like concerns that are currently not really entirely legitimate, given that we haven't seen any of the stories that will feature in the book itself, just a marketing blurb and unlettered pages.

But carry on, I guess.

DeathReviews wrote:I'm not up on what other media formats have been doing with the Visionaries, but wasn't "Darkstorm" the leader of the Darkling lords? Virulina never even had an action figure, they just kind of tossed her into the cartoon show so there could be a woman character on each team, right?

Well, if you go to the top of the previous page and look at the page IDW posted on their Instagram, you’ll see Leoric mention Darkstorm as the original leader of the Darkling Lords, implying that something happened to him, and that Virulina took over later.

Daniel Adkins wrote:

DeathReviews wrote:I'm not up on what other media formats have been doing with the Visionaries, but wasn't "Darkstorm" the leader of the Darkling lords? Virulina never even had an action figure, they just kind of tossed her into the cartoon show so there could be a woman character on each team, right?

Well, if you go to the top of the previous page and look at the page IDW posted on their Instagram, you’ll see Leoric mention Darkstorm as the original leader of the Darkling Lords, implying that something happened to him, and that Virulina took over later.

Yeah, I never saw the cartoon, but I did read all of the Marvel Visionaries book, where Virulina was contemplating a coup and had a plague-inducing power that seemed impressive enough to pull it off, so her having command isn't much different from Starscream being in charge.

But as someone who's fallen behind on IDW, I sure am grateful for you tireless watchdogs constantly repeating the exact same anti-SJW rhetoric for little to no reason, otherwise I'd be totally ignorant that these horrible "problems" even exist!

I'm not sure if it's anti-SJW for most, is it? Popping an established character in charge instead of another one is exactly the type of change I am happy with. Changing the gender or ethnicity of a character for no rhyme or reason is where I draw the line. I'm all for this female character being in charge, though.

I don't mind Virulina being the leader as they've written out Darkstorm (for now ) like they did with the 1995 Dr.X from Action Man.

Like with Primalxconvoy & partholon i'm not ok with changing the gender or ethnicity of a character for no rhyme or reason.

In yet more news about the new crossover mini-series from IDW Publishing set in the Hasbroverse, we have a small three-page preview for the upcoming Transformers vs The Visionaries #1 - due out in both digital and print release early January 2018 - featuring Merklynn and his vision for New Prysmos, plus the introduction of some of the major players on both sides: Ironhide, Wheeljack, Kup and Breakdown (with typo) on the Cybertronians, and Virulina, Leoric, Cindarr and Witterquick on the Visionaries side.

Check it all out below, mirrored from the iTunes page, and let us know if you'll be picking this new series up come the new year!

Cybertron has been invaded. The Transformers encounter unwelcome guests at the heart of Cybertron—and they may not have their hosts’ best interests at heart. Refugees from another world, the Visionaries' startling magical abilities could make them powerful allies... or dangerous enemies.

Zzz...

primalxconvoy wrote:Zzz...

Dude, we get it; you're just commenting unnecessarily now.

I have no attachment to visionaries but I color me intrigued!

This is true. However, I wasn't lamenting the usual. The preview above just seems a bit... boring? This isn't my usual "social commentary" spiel, I'm just speaking stylistically.

Anyone else?

It's literally one page.

There are 4 pages, with 2 of them showing story? If I haven't seen it, it's new to me!

It’s cool that velocitron breakdown actually has his name now. Every other time he has appeared he hasn’t ever said his name, so it’s cool that they are finally confirming that his name is breakdown.

Is this Breakdown the IDW version of Prime Breakdown?

primalxconvoy wrote:Is this Breakdown the IDW version of Prime Breakdown?

Yep. He's been appearing in TAAO for the last year or so.

Well, that's something nice in all of this mess, at least. Time to visit TFWiki...

ooh that art does not look good.

seems like a case of ye old Transformes curse where when the humans look good the bots look awfull and vice versa.

havent seen anything this off since Windblade vol 2/TAAO.

IMO its a bad idea to have prysmos be a part of cybertron too. it justs seems too limiting or something. the notion of an entire solar system where TF cant go is alot more intriguing than somewhere outside new iacon where nobody bloody goes anyway.

as ripley would say "just nuke the site from orbit".



but hey im sure some love this style so each to their own. but i dont see this one lasting beyond the mini if they dont expand it greatly.

primalxconvoy wrote:Well, that's something nice in all of this mess, at least. Time to visit TFWiki...

Yeah I like the concept of multiple Breakdowns, Prowls etc..

but i want to see Armada Red Alert like yesterday not ruined Visionaries.

G1 Visionaries forever...(or at east 13 episodes and a cancelled comic series... )

Primal Convoy likes this.

With some more news in the March 2018 solicitations seem here about the soon-to-begin crossover mini-series from IDW Publishing, featuring two more Hasbro properties clashing (but not really) with each other (but also in-fighting), we have the retailer incentive cover for Transformers vs The Visionaries #2, brought to us once more by artist Brendan Cahill, and coloured by Lauren Bennett!

The cover, mirrored below in both lineart and full colour, shows Virulina - the apparently new Darkling leader - and Ironhide, from the Cybertronian side of things, in a much different pose and setting than the cover for the first issue. Check it out!

Keeping up the marketing momentum, IDW Publishing have directly posted a preview for the upcoming first issue of their latest Hasbro universe crossover series, helmed by Magdalene Visaggio and Fico Ossio: Transformers vs The Visionaries #1!

We don't get too much more than what we first saw in the iTunes preview, posted here, but we do have an extra couple of pages added to the opening, and some additional characters introduced next to Merklynn, and alongside old Cybertronians Kup and Ironhide. Check it out below!

Cybertron has been invaded. The Transformers encounter unwelcome guests at the heart of Cybertron—and they may not have their hosts’ best interests at heart. Refugees from another world, the Visionaries' startling magical abilities could make them powerful allies... or dangerous enemies.

How come IDW goes out of their way to portray most organics as stupid, smug bastards?

More race and gender baiting SJW nonsense from IDW, quickly going the way of Marvel. I'm sorry but Leoric is a white guy (along with Matt Trakker from MASK). These characters look NOTHING like Visionaries at all, but rather an obvious SJW political vehicle, for the white/man shaming of much loved franchises of the past. There is nothing wrong with being white. If they want ethnic minority characters, make NEW characters and NEW stories. The Visionaries are white male characters in fantasy knight armor. Deal with it. SJWs are destroying everything I hold dear at the moment. I'm boycotting all IDW publications from now on, until they decide to get rid of the identity politics. This is not Visionaries and it's not Transformers. It's sickening, forced "diversity" and no longer fun.

Transcendent30 wrote:More race and gender baiting SJW nonsense from IDW, quickly going the way of Marvel. I'm sorry but Leoric is a white guy (along with Matt Trakker from MASK). These characters look NOTHING like Visionaries at all, but rather an obvious SJW political vehicle, for the white/man shaming of much loved franchises of the past. There is nothing wrong with being white. If they want ethnic minority characters, make NEW characters and NEW stories. The Visionaries are white male characters in fantasy knight armor. Deal with it. SJWs are destroying everything I hold dear at the moment. I'm boycotting all IDW publications from now on, until they decide to get rid of the identity politics. This is not Visionaries and it's not Transformers. It's sickening, forced "diversity" and no longer fun.

Transcendent30 wrote:More race and gender baiting SJW nonsense from IDW, quickly going the way of Marvel. I'm sorry but Leoric is a white guy (along with Matt Trakker from MASK). These characters look NOTHING like Visionaries at all, but rather an obvious SJW political vehicle, for the white/man shaming of much loved franchises of the past. There is nothing wrong with being white. If they want ethnic minority characters, make NEW characters and NEW stories. The Visionaries are white male characters in fantasy knight armor. Deal with it. SJWs are destroying everything I hold dear at the moment. I'm boycotting all IDW publications from now on, until they decide to get rid of the identity politics. This is not Visionaries and it's not Transformers. It's sickening, forced "diversity" and no longer fun.

Welcome to real life, things happen.