Transformers: Windblade #1 Sarah Stone Subscription Variant Cover

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Could someone explain how this subscription thing works in regards to the use of this little card here?

Va'al wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Could someone explain how this subscription thing works in regards to the use of this little card here?

It's all explained in this post here!

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

Va'al wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Could someone explain how this subscription thing works in regards to the use of this little card here?

It's all explained in this post here!

Real quick, just to make sure I got this, I print out the forum card, fill it out, and give it to the clerks over at the comic shop, and provided they accept, they preorder the comics?

SW's SilverHammer wrote:

Va'al wrote:

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Could someone explain how this subscription thing works in regards to the use of this little card here?

It's all explained in this post here!

Real quick, just to make sure I got this, I print out the forum card, fill it out, and give it to the clerks over at the comic shop, and provided they accept, they preorder the comics?

Steve: What do you think defines Windblade as a character? When you sat down with the character, what did you want to emphasize about her personality?

Sarah: What stands out for Windblade to me is her determination despite being completely overwhelmed. She’s thrust into this situation and conflict that most Cybertronians have had centuries to get adjusted to, but she has to adapt right now, and you can tell she’s behind the curve and it’s taking its toll. I wanted her to show signs of this weathering but she’s still trying her hardest anyway. She’s not perfect – she gets shaken up and lost, and I think we can all relate to that a little bit.

Mairghread: Our book starts a bit after the end of Dark Cybertron, so no one is in active triage-mode anymore as they would be during a huge life-or-death struggle like that was. Plus Windblade is an optimist. She really believes that she can help make Cybertron better, that everyone can help Cybertron be better. Whether or not she’s right, that’s a whole different story.

ComicsAlliance: Tell me about Windblade. What sort of story are you and Sarah telling?

Mairghread Scott: Transformers: Windblade is a four-issue miniseries designed to introduce longtime fans to a brand new character and new readers to the current Transformers world. So we really wanted to tell an honestly hopeful, fun story that showcased how human Transformers really are.

We also wanted to really show off the unique things we love most about Transformers as a brand. We have fight sequences that are not even possible in other stories. We have a dazzling array of character designs and relationships, and the world itself is just too lush not to explore. Our characters reside in a living city. They can turn into jets and they fight with axes. They live for thousands of years and have only recently stopped a civil war that almost killed them all. There are some amazing stories to be had in a place like this, and Sarah and I intend to exploit every angle we can to bring fans something that will really take their breath away.

CA: How did each of you come to this book?

MS: Like most comics work that I’ve been part of, it involved a unique dance of asking/begging, worrying, pitching, worrying and then actually doing it. I first heard about Windblade’s creation as a character and toy at a convention with my editor John Barber and I immediately asked to be involved if she got a comic. Of course it took a few months to get the timing right, but John did let me pitch on Windblade — which meant explaining who I thought she was, her backstory and what a miniseries would like like — and he liked it. The rest, as they say, is history.

Sarah Stone: I have Mairghread to thank for the opportunity. She found me through some of my fan art online, and then we started talking more once we met at a comic con. She was kind enough to involve me in a personal comic project she wanted to create a pitch for, and thats when she asked if I would be interested in having my name thrown in as an artist for a Transformers project. I couldn’t say “YES” fast enough!

[...]

CA: You’re also telling the story of a female Transformer, though not the first. As the Transformers are all robots, can you talk a little bit about what gender means in this fictional universe and how it’s represented?

MS Yes. IDW’s continuity has never had an “originally female” Transformer in it (the only female transformer in the line, Arcee, was made female against her will) so it was important to us that Windblade’s comic present a positive view of Lady Bots without having the characters beat everyone over the head with their gender.

The beauty of Transformers is that, by their very nature, they’re a very inclusive race. Some Bots turn into jets, or cars, or flying sharks. They can be as small as trash cans or as big as whole cities. So while Windblade and [fellow Transformer] Chromia’s gender makes them “different” to other Cybertronians, it’s a much bigger deal to our readers than it is to the characters in the book.

We have fight sequences that are not even possible in other stories.

MS Yes. IDW’s continuity has never had an “originally female” Transformer in it (the only female transformer in the line, Arcee, was made female against her will) so it was important to us that Windblade’s comic present a positive view of Lady Bots without having the characters beat everyone over the head with their gender.

Vicalliose wrote: Except that's kind of the whole point of this comic.

Transformers do not just lack females, they lack gender altogether. Although as purely no-gender race they naturally take on a masculine tone that could be defined as 'male' by other species. This should not be about females struggling in a man's world, but that is the clear vibe this stupid thing is giving off.

If anything, the simple way around this is if they were never addressed as if they were 'different' in any way. They'd just have smaller builds. But then of course, there'd be no point, seeing as there are plenty of small built bots that do not take on 'feminine' features because such societal norms which define females in human society do not exist for Cybertronians. I'll note that IDW Arcee doesn't even have 'breasts' (outside of those times when she is drawn by morons) and she's actually not that different from a number of other 'males' in the series. There's just something hard-coded in her CNA that makes everyone feel awkward or uncomfortable around her.

But anyways. I hope everyone who defends this mess realizes that they are inadvertently defending the existence of Drift and AHM, because I'd bet the same people actually hate those things. Perhaps this opens the way for some terrible 'white knight' jokes to be used on these two terrible fan creations. I'd actually love it if that were true.

84forever wrote:Mairghread Scott wants to introduce readers to a Transformers where Autobots and Decepticons are not at war. The war concept was arguably one third of the appeal of Transformers. The other parts being their different personalities and their ability to Transform. Unbeknownst to many readers, IDW has already removed the personality portion from Transformers when they decided not to use certain character's speech patterns from the cartoon. Almost all of them now say "ummm", "actually" and "literally" and sound the same. I suppose the next two things IDW will do to ruin Transformers is turn them all into Actionmasters and make them all Autobots!

84forever wrote:Mairghread Scott wants to introduce readers to a Transformers where Autobots and Decepticons are not at war. The war concept was arguably one third of the appeal of Transformers. The other parts being their different personalities and their ability to Transform. Unbeknownst to many readers, IDW has already removed the personality portion from Transformers when they decided not to use certain character's speech patterns from the cartoon. Almost all of them now say "ummm", "actually" and "literally" and sound the same. I suppose the next two things IDW will do to ruin Transformers is turn them all into Actionmasters and make them all Autobots!

Va'al wrote:Windblade #1 hits next week!

Preview will go up on Tuesday, there's a teaser here.

And I've read my review copy today. It's definitely worth picking up. *nods head vigorously*

Maerviska wrote:Next week!? B-but... I'm not ready! Hahahaha!
I really hope it's coming out next week in Canada too, and that my local store will have it. I just looked at the teaser and I love how it's drawn!
Can't wait now.

Va'al wrote:

Maerviska wrote:Next week!? B-but... I'm not ready! Hahahaha!
I really hope it's coming out next week in Canada too, and that my local store will have it. I just looked at the teaser and I love how it's drawn!
Can't wait now.

It's definitely out in Canada, but I can't say your local store will have it for sure. Check with them in advance, ask them to put one aside for you!

Sabrblade wrote:The TFormers pic is broken since that site forbids hotlinking.

Also, here's a new preview - http://www.newsarama.com/20829-idw-debut-previews-star-mage-1-windblade-1-extended-look.html

Sabrblade wrote:
Also, here's a new preview - http://www.newsarama.com/20829-idw-debut-previews-star-mage-1-windblade-1-extended-look.html

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Seems like everybody got one individual teaser interesting >:oP

Transformers: Windblade #1 (of 4): Dawn of the Autobots—SPOTLIGHT
Mairghread Scott (w) • Sarah Stone (a) • Casey W. Coller (c)
WHO IS WINDBLADE? In the aftermath of DARK CYBERTRON, WINDBLADE takes the planet by storm! But where did she come from—and what does her secret mean to the future of the TRANSFORMERS? A powerful new chapter in the TRANSFORMERS saga begins here!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
- WINDBLADE takes CYBERTRON by storm!
- Winner of the FAN BUILD BOT POLL—in which fans voted to create an all-new TRANSFORMERS CHARACTER!
- Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the TRANSFORMERS!
- Learn the secret history of WINDBLADE, CHROMIA, and NAUTICA!
- Variant interlocking cover by Livio Ramondelli!

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:It's funny how unfamiliar with Starscream she is, because I'm sitting here with my face in my palm wanting to strangle her stupid as hell. But it's not her fault, she just doesn't know any better. So far I'm not really liking this character though.

Henry921 wrote:It's Rattrap! He's sabotaged power supplies before, y'know!

That said, I like the core idea here so far... but remain ambivalent about Windblade herself. Maybe if she expresses a personality trait aside from naivete...

Nemesis Maximo wrote:When I first read this, I thought they were talking about FLIRTATION systems. I was like, "oh Starscream, you smug snake, making Wingblade feel all uncomfortable around you.

Sabrblade wrote:

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:It's funny how unfamiliar with Starscream she is, because I'm sitting here with my face in my palm wanting to strangle her stupid as hell. But it's not her fault, she just doesn't know any better. So far I'm not really liking this character though.

She hasn't been on Cybertron in who knows how long. How would she know about a guy she's never met or known about until recently?

Vicalliose wrote:they'd better bring Drift back.

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:

Vicalliose wrote:they'd better bring Drift back.

Yeah, no. No more Drift please.

Vicalliose wrote:Kinda wish I had the capacity to go and get me a copy right away. I'd love to write a lengthy and whiny review about everything that's wrong with this.

Va'al wrote:

Vicalliose wrote:Kinda wish I had the capacity to go and get me a copy right away. I'd love to write a lengthy and whiny review about everything that's wrong with this.

Pray do tell.