Skybound Entertainment is Looking to Acquire the Publishing Rights to Transformers

AcademyofDrX wrote:Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog confirms Rich Johnson's report: Skybound Entertainment in talks to acquire the Transformers and GI Joe comics licenses.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... 235060895/

william-james88 wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog confirms Rich Johnson's report: Skybound Entertainment in talks to acquire the Transformers and GI Joe comics licenses.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... 235060895/

What do you mean by confirm? Doesn,t this go against what Rich said since he said Image would be the new home for these comics?

AcademyofDrX wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog confirms Rich Johnson's report: Skybound Entertainment in talks to acquire the Transformers and GI Joe comics licenses.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... 235060895/

What do you mean by confirm? Doesn,t this go against what Rich said since he said Image would be the new home for these comics?

Skybound Entertainment is an Image Studio. In Johnston's original report, he speculated that a studio was a likely home, as Image generally doesn't publish external IP. His two main scoops--rights available, Image most likely home--both track with Heat Vision's report.

Relevant section from Bleeding Cool report about Image:
"Image Comics is best known these days as a publisher of solely creator-owned comic books but with the various studios, that is not always the case. I don't know whether the production will be through an existing Partner studio that publish through Image such as Top Cow, Todd McFarlane Studios, Silverline, Highbrow or Skybound. It may be set up like an independent studio through Image Comics such as the Netflix-owned Millarworld, or these new creator imprints such as that from former IDW EIC Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood. Or something else entirely."

That Kirkman's Skybound is negotiating is Heat Vision's scoop, but it further validates Johnson's reporting, it doesn't challenge it.

william-james88 wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog confirms Rich Johnson's report: Skybound Entertainment in talks to acquire the Transformers and GI Joe comics licenses.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... 235060895/

What do you mean by confirm? Doesn,t this go against what Rich said since he said Image would be the new home for these comics?

Skybound Entertainment is an Image Studio. In Johnston's original report, he speculated that a studio was a likely home, as Image generally doesn't publish external IP. His two main scoops--rights available, Image most likely home--both track with Heat Vision's report.

Relevant section from Bleeding Cool report about Image:
"Image Comics is best known these days as a publisher of solely creator-owned comic books but with the various studios, that is not always the case. I don't know whether the production will be through an existing Partner studio that publish through Image such as Top Cow, Todd McFarlane Studios, Silverline, Highbrow or Skybound. It may be set up like an independent studio through Image Comics such as the Netflix-owned Millarworld, or these new creator imprints such as that from former IDW EIC Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood. Or something else entirely."

That Kirkman's Skybound is negotiating is Heat Vision's scoop, but it further validates Johnson's reporting, it doesn't challenge it.

Alright, thanks for the explanation.

AcademyofDrX wrote:Just this year IDW has already lost the Ghostbusters.

DecepticonFinishline wrote:What if, instead of anything with comics, Skybound just did Transformers video games? I would be very down for that.

ZeroWolf wrote:

DecepticonFinishline wrote:What if, instead of anything with comics, Skybound just did Transformers video games? I would be very down for that.

Do they even do video games? Plus we're only talking the comic licence which is very different to video games (i think hasbro just hand that out project to project)

DecepticonFinishline wrote:What if, instead of anything with comics, Skybound just did Transformers video games? I would be very down for that.

“At the end of 2022, IDW will bid a fond farewell to the publication of G.I. Joe and Transformers comic books and graphic novels,” the company said in a statement provided to THR. “We’re exceedingly proud of our stewardship of these titles – 17 years with the Robots in Disguise and 14 years with A Real American Hero – and thank the legion of fans for their unwavering support, month in and month out. We’re also eternally grateful to every one of the talented creators who helped bring these characters to four-color life through our comics.”

...

The monthly Transformers series will wrap up by mid-summer, while the Transformers: Beast Wars series, too, will come to its conclusion this summer. That will lead to two new miniseries events. The company will also publish a variety of special one-shot projects spotlighting heroes and villains from across Transformers history.

partholon wrote:Good.

maybe whomever gets the license will produce something actually worth buying again.

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:“At the end of 2022, IDW will bid a fond farewell to the publication of G.I. Joe and Transformers comic books and graphic novels,” the company said in a statement provided to THR. “We’re exceedingly proud of our stewardship of these titles — 17 years with the Robots in Disguise and 14 years with A Real American Hero — and thank the legion of fans for their unwavering support, month in and month out. We’re also eternally grateful to every one of the talented creators who helped bring these characters to four-color life through our comics.”

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:The monthly Transformers series will wrap up by mid-summer, while the Transformers: Beast Wars series will come to its conclusion this summer, too. That will lead to two new miniseries events. The company will also publish a variety of special one-shot projects spotlighting heroes and villains from across Transformers history.

IDW's first Transformers work was Transformers: Infiltration #0, released on October 19, 2005

ZeroWolf wrote:I quite like the new beast Wars comic actually if people were this hung up on art style then Animated/Cyberverse would never have become fan favourites. Though I should point out that only Animated achieved the double punch of show and toyline being favourites, as the Cyberverse toyline was geared to a different audience so of course, people attacked it.

Anyways, what I would expect from the new studio is maybe one ongoing/miniseries at first and then branch from there. Keep things simple. Also learned that these are the folks that have been cranking out lego ninjago comics.

I do wonder if they'll attempt yet another G1 re-imagining or will it be based on the new cartoon heading our way

primalxconvoy wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:I quite like the new beast Wars comic actually if people were this hung up on art style then Animated/Cyberverse would never have become fan favourites. Though I should point out that only Animated achieved the double punch of show and toyline being favourites, as the Cyberverse toyline was geared to a different audience so of course, people attacked it.

Anyways, what I would expect from the new studio is maybe one ongoing/miniseries at first and then branch from there. Keep things simple. Also learned that these are the folks that have been cranking out lego ninjago comics.

I do wonder if they'll attempt yet another G1 re-imagining or will it be based on the new cartoon heading our way

There's Animated, and there's the awful BW comic.

Look at this awful picture:

-

PicsArt_1624570756268~01.png

It's basically worse than anything Animated had to offer. Also, I think Animated toys didn't sell that well, due to the aesthetic, if I recall? The toys were only out for a year, and many were unreleased?

ZeroWolf wrote:I do wonder if they'll attempt yet another G1 re-imagining or will it be based on the new cartoon heading our way

AcademyofDrX wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:I quite like the new beast Wars comic actually if people were this hung up on art style then Animated/Cyberverse would never have become fan favourites. Though I should point out that only Animated achieved the double punch of show and toyline being favourites, as the Cyberverse toyline was geared to a different audience so of course, people attacked it.

Anyways, what I would expect from the new studio is maybe one ongoing/miniseries at first and then branch from there. Keep things simple. Also learned that these are the folks that have been cranking out lego ninjago comics.

I do wonder if they'll attempt yet another G1 re-imagining or will it be based on the new cartoon heading our way

There's Animated, and there's the awful BW comic.

Look at this awful picture:

-

PicsArt_1624570756268~01.png

It's basically worse than anything Animated had to offer. Also, I think Animated toys didn't sell that well, due to the aesthetic, if I recall? The toys were only out for a year, and many were unreleased?

It's not "bad," it's stylized. You don't have to like it, but it's an aesthetic choice. In general I really like Burcham's art style and character designs, I think they have a lot more personality than most Transformers art. It's not for everyone, but that's true of a lot of comic art, especially the best of it.

primalxconvoy wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:I quite like the new beast Wars comic actually if people were this hung up on art style then Animated/Cyberverse would never have become fan favourites. Though I should point out that only Animated achieved the double punch of show and toyline being favourites, as the Cyberverse toyline was geared to a different audience so of course, people attacked it.

Anyways, what I would expect from the new studio is maybe one ongoing/miniseries at first and then branch from there. Keep things simple. Also learned that these are the folks that have been cranking out lego ninjago comics.

I do wonder if they'll attempt yet another G1 re-imagining or will it be based on the new cartoon heading our way

There's Animated, and there's the awful BW comic.

Look at this awful picture:

-

PicsArt_1624570756268~01.png

It's basically worse than anything Animated had to offer. Also, I think Animated toys didn't sell that well, due to the aesthetic, if I recall? The toys were only out for a year, and many were unreleased?

It's not "bad," it's stylized. You don't have to like it, but it's an aesthetic choice. In general I really like Burcham's art style and character designs, I think they have a lot more personality than most Transformers art. It's not for everyone, but that's true of a lot of comic art, especially the best of it.

Of course it's "stylised", but then again, so too is a picture, drawn in mud, using a twig and we can still say it's "bad" because of it. It's also most certainly not anywhere near the "best" of any contemporary comic art either. It looks like sh*t, IMO and I will be most pleased if the new compsny avoids it like the plague that it truly is.

AcademyofDrX wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:I quite like the new beast Wars comic actually if people were this hung up on art style then Animated/Cyberverse would never have become fan favourites. Though I should point out that only Animated achieved the double punch of show and toyline being favourites, as the Cyberverse toyline was geared to a different audience so of course, people attacked it.

Anyways, what I would expect from the new studio is maybe one ongoing/miniseries at first and then branch from there. Keep things simple. Also learned that these are the folks that have been cranking out lego ninjago comics.

I do wonder if they'll attempt yet another G1 re-imagining or will it be based on the new cartoon heading our way

There's Animated, and there's the awful BW comic.

Look at this awful picture:

-

PicsArt_1624570756268~01.png

It's basically worse than anything Animated had to offer. Also, I think Animated toys didn't sell that well, due to the aesthetic, if I recall? The toys were only out for a year, and many were unreleased?

It's not "bad," it's stylized. You don't have to like it, but it's an aesthetic choice. In general I really like Burcham's art style and character designs, I think they have a lot more personality than most Transformers art. It's not for everyone, but that's true of a lot of comic art, especially the best of it.

Of course it's "stylised", but then again, so too is a picture, drawn in mud, using a twig and we can still say it's "bad" because of it. It's also most certainly not anywhere near the "best" of any contemporary comic art either. It looks like sh*t, IMO and I will be most pleased if the new compsny avoids it like the plague that it truly is.

You're completely missing my point, but I think we'll have to agree to disagree. Odds are, if you think a comic book from a major publisher looks like it was drawn by a seven year old, that's because you read comics like a seven year old.

-Kanrabat- wrote:Western comics have been in a downward spiral ever since the woke cancer started seeping through. IDW was no exception.

AcademyofDrX wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:

Is that all you have to say?

Did you know that the single manga Demon Slayer sold more than the ENTIRE WESTERN COMICS INDUSTRY last year?

There's a reason for that.
Get out of your bubble to find out.

AcademyofDrX wrote:Yes, that's all I have to say to Gaters.

-Kanrabat- wrote:Western comics have been in a downward spiral ever since the woke cancer started seeping through. IDW was no exception.

My hope is for the Transformers comics to become a manga instead. A manga written and drawn by Japanese artists that have only good stories in mind without any message.

-Kanrabat- wrote:Interesting, but I don't think it's mainstream......yet.
You also won't see these wacky ideas suddenly infect established franchises like for example, Goku in Dragon Ball turning gay for no reasons, or Android 18 revealing to be "trans all along" because why not.

No matter what, there is one universal rule: Money talk.

The decline of American comics is real. Along with Hollywood movies. The woke cancer contributed a lot. No one want to be lectured to when reading fantasy. There's also a need of originality that the West can no longer provide with all their sequels and reboots.

There's also YEARS in development involved and what sold 4 years ago no longer sell today. So everything is in some hard decline and we see flops after flops. It will take some years for the West to produce anything good again. In the meantime, Japan with it's constant renewal and original ideas (despite the onslaught of Isekai fast-food) and pure entertainment value rake in the dough.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

AcademyofDrX wrote:Yes, that's all I have to say to Gaters.

This is you:



But eh, whatever makes you happy. (づ¬◞ ¬)づ

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:I think, licensed IP (80's IP's in particular) have a stigma attached to them. They never seem to achieve the sales of original IP's, such as in Manga. Maybe because the license holder wields a tight, creative leash around them. Meaning they can't deviate too far off-script. That coincides with That part of the fanbase. That thinks everything generated by that IP should only appeal directly to their nostalgic tastes. Which also stifles any and all creativity.

Transformers gained a second life via Beast Wars. Which was a radical departure from the original source material. It gained wealth and a wider audience with Bayformers. Which was a less radical. But still, a different enough departure from tradition. That helps with the comics. The Furman run of IDWverse proved that.

Would Hasbro allow a new departure on that scale? I doubt it. I optimistically hope for it though.

-Kanrabat- wrote:What most fans do not accept are retcons within the same universe. For example, creating a direct sequel to G1 and retconning that Optimus Prime was directly born from the leaves of a cabbage or something.

But we do love alternative universes and when one is created, everything goes. The beasts in BW, the honorable Starscream in Armada, Miner/Gladiator Megatron in IDW, all this is awesome and it help create original content.

Speaking of the TF Multiverse, there should be a series about the various universes of Transformers clashing. Either in comics form, animated, or both. I'd love to see the reaction of virtuous G1 Optimus toward the bloodlust of Bay Optimus.

primalxconvoy wrote:Well, DW did have a version of the G1 universe "clashing" with the Unicorn Trilogy one. Technically, although aesthetically the "same" universe, in Cyberverse, there was a parallel dimension Megatron that fought Cyberverse Megatron...

-Kanrabat- wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:Well, DW did have a version of the G1 universe "clashing" with the Unicorn Trilogy one. Technically, although aesthetically the "same" universe, in Cyberverse, there was a parallel dimension Megatron that fought Cyberverse Megatron...

After Prime, I lost interest in TF cartoons. Especially with the disastrous Machimina series.
But Cyberverse seems to be the best show since Prime so I should get on to it.

ZeroWolf wrote:Thanks for the input D Max, though your last comment, have the new studio dabbled in NFTs? I mean, it's only a matter of time till hasbro bring them into Transformers...

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Thanks for the input D Max, though your last comment, have the new studio dabbled in NFTs? I mean, it's only a matter of time till hasbro bring them into Transformers...

I've heard that one of the main leaders of Skybound is into crypto and NFTs, I cannot confirm anything, but I have heard rumors they are in that market

ZeroWolf wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Thanks for the input D Max, though your last comment, have the new studio dabbled in NFTs? I mean, it's only a matter of time till hasbro bring them into Transformers...

I've heard that one of the main leaders of Skybound is into crypto and NFTs, I cannot confirm anything, but I have heard rumors they are in that market

Ugh that doesn't bode well.

primalxconvoy wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Thanks for the input D Max, though your last comment, have the new studio dabbled in NFTs? I mean, it's only a matter of time till hasbro bring them into Transformers...

I've heard that one of the main leaders of Skybound is into crypto and NFTs, I cannot confirm anything, but I have heard rumors they are in that market

Ugh that doesn't bode well.

For them maybe. For me "NFT" stands for "Not Funding This"...

-Kanrabat- wrote:

primalxconvoy wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:Thanks for the input D Max, though your last comment, have the new studio dabbled in NFTs? I mean, it's only a matter of time till hasbro bring them into Transformers...

I've heard that one of the main leaders of Skybound is into crypto and NFTs, I cannot confirm anything, but I have heard rumors they are in that market

Ugh that doesn't bode well.

For them maybe. For me "NFT" stands for "Not Funding This"...

NFT.
Like I heard in a video, it's akin to the "you buy a star and you even get a certificate" scam. Too many NFT also steal intellectual properties. This, like crypto, will blow up in people's face sooner or later.

Oh, and to come back with your accessibility comment a few posts back, yeah. I'd love to watch Cyberverse but I have no idea where to watch legally. The few torrents I find are iffy too.
As for comics, they should take a hint from manga and make more graphic novels that compile comics and that are affordable.
Another thing that's killing the western comic industry is they charge 5$US to 10$US for 20 or 40 pages max. Comics with adds in them too. F that.