#SDCC2019 IDW Transformers Panel TF84 New Transformers Ongoing News and Transformers Galaxies More

Well, considering what a dud "Bold New Era" turned out to be, I'm very skeptical. I was looking to TF'84 very much, but even that's cooled off a bit. Still gonna check it out, but not as enthusiastic about it.

Yeah, everything I've seen thus far of this new series looks frightfully boring. And between that and the rumours circulating that a certain lying, fraudulent thief who will remain nameless here is now (allegedly) working with IDW on their upcoming Addams' Family comic, I'm not giving them a single penny of my money.

Stargrave wrote:With the current series being where it’s at where would each of you see a cool upswing?

Say you’re the new writer taking the title in a bold new direction, where do you take us?

All perspectives welcome totally just making conversation.

OK, here is mine:

Hasbro seems to be really into the pre-war and post-war eras of Cybertron so I would propose a pair of 12-16 issue maxi-series to set up the status quo.

The first would be called Transformers: Genesis this would be a basic origin story of the Transformers from Primus, Unicron, the 13 Primes, The Titans, how the war starts and ends with Optimus Prime and Megatron crashing on Earth and being awaken in 1984 and would end with the Autobots proving to the humans that they're allies and can be trusted and setting up the next series.

Transformers: Apocalypse this series would jump the series into 2020 with the Autobots, Humans, and Nebulans forming an intergalactic alliance to destroy the Decepticons once and for and all. But Megatron tricks the Alliance into a massive space battle and uses a weapon that keeps all of the hero's ships from escaping and destroys a star and wipes out most of the Autobot massive fleet including command ship that has Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Bumblebee, Prowl, Fortress Maximus, Rodimus Prime, Silverbolt, Ratchet, Scattershot, Blaster, Metalhawk, Ginrai, Star Saber, Windblade, Acree, Elita-1, Chromia, Ultra Magnus, Ironhide, Alpha Trion, Vector Prime, Sentinel Prime, and pretty much every major Autobot leader except for Hot Spot who escapes with others via the space bridge to Earth all the while Megatron and the Decepticons conquer the galaxy.

Now that the Decepticons have won the war ruling the galaxy begins and this is where the story would be broken up into 3 ongoing series:

The Transformers which is the core title and is set on Cybertron. Megatron has won but now has to deal with the ambitions for his throne of the usual suspects Starscream, Shockwave, Scorponok, Thunderwing, and Galvatron. While a young Autobot named Orion Pax begins building a Cybertron Autobot Resistance. But the real here's the real question: is Megatron the real leader of the Decepticons or is someone else leading the Decepticons from the shadows? It's Nemesis Prime and Rodimus Unicornus.


The second title is: Transformers: Earthforce The Decepticons have discovered that Earth is rich in raw Energon but it's so raw that it shorts them out and Megatron sends Shockwave and Starscream to Earth to head up mining energon and Shockwave comes up with a devious plan they will train the people of Earth to mine the Energon for them but it's physically demanding work and takes a lot of high tech skills to mine this stuff but if they offer the humans the training and healthcare they might be able to sell them this. As mentioned above Hot Spot who escaped the Apocalypse is now on Earth and is building a new Earth Autobot Resistance and to add more problems some of the humans love the Decepticon's plans and some hate it and how far will some the Earthforce and can Hot Spot deal with making tough decisions when he's at the heart a search and rescue bot not a guerilla warrior.


The third title is: Transformers: Masterforce and is set on Nebulos and deals with Galvatron, Overlord, and Scorponok and the Decepticon Head/Power/Target/Micro Masters and the Pretenders ruling a world that some of the Nebulans see the Transformers as gods and this series Hound and Highbrow arrive and try to put together an Autobot Nebulos Resistance force and Hound is mostly the POV character having been an Autobot scout on Earth Hound finds himself on a planet that he has a basic knowledge of a tourist and this sets up the world of Nebulos.


Each title would for at least one year be a stand-alone series without having to read the other two and for the most part the Autobots on Earth don't know that are any Autobots on Cybertron and Nebulos and the same with the others. This would change with a three part crossover in the each series respective Annuals called The Signal that has the Autobots Resistance on Cybertron picking up a signal from deep space and we learn the the Autobot command ship has survived and is on it's way back to Cybertron with some new allies and technology and this would lead into the big crossover called The Siege of Cybertron which would run between the 25th issue of each series, where Optimus Prime and company return and help the Resistance Forces on Cybertron, Earth, and Nebulos take back control of the planets.


This is what I would do if I was in total 100% control of IDW's Transformers comics and please note that is rough draft that I banged out in 30 minutes and is why I didn't explain a lot of details. This is also what I was kind of hoping for the All-New IDW Transformers Universe. You get your origin story and TF lore, epic space battles, your topical social/political/religious stories, your ultra grimdark and hopeful stories, world building on 3 different planets, mystery, intrigue, second and third string characters getting the spotlight, and giant alien robots beating the crap out of each other.

I don't like the idea of anyone not Megatron "secretly" leading the Decepticons. It's Megatron, man.

sol magnus wrote:I don't like the idea of anyone not Megatron "secretly" leading the Decepticons. It's Megatron, man.

I can live with it, Megatron varies in intelligence from depiction anyway. I mean Beast Wars Megatron is a far better leader.

ZeroWolf wrote:

sol magnus wrote:I don't like the idea of anyone not Megatron "secretly" leading the Decepticons. It's Megatron, man.

I can live with it, Megatron varies in intelligence from depiction anyway. I mean Beast Wars Megatron is a far better leader.

We all have our opinions.

sol magnus wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

sol magnus wrote:I don't like the idea of anyone not Megatron "secretly" leading the Decepticons. It's Megatron, man.

I can live with it, Megatron varies in intelligence from depiction anyway. I mean Beast Wars Megatron is a far better leader.

We all have our opinions.

My opinion does come with the caveat that I don't care about toon G1 I mean I love Animated Megatron because he was an intimidating presence whose only Autobot equal seemed to be Ultra Magnus with Prime having to work up his way to that level.

There's a dynamic I would have liked to have seen in the comics at some point, a very green Optimus versus top of his game Megatron and watching Op develop as a character till the final fight where Megatron acknowledges him as the one and only threat to his cause now.

sol magnus wrote:I don't like the idea of anyone not Megatron "secretly" leading the Decepticons. It's Megatron, man.

Maybe Megatron does lead but he's not aware that Nemesis Prime and Nemesis Rodimus are in the shadows causing trouble with and/or for Razorclaw, Onslaught, Motormaster, Snap Trap, Hun-Grr, and their respective teams. Also Megatron hates Nemesis Prime a LOT more that he hates Optimus Prime and if he destroyed a star system to try to kill Optimus Prime, now imagine what he would do kill Nemesis Prime.

In the two spin-offs Megatron is not actively leading the Deceptions on Earth and Nebulos it's Shockwave and Galvatron (or so Galvatron thinks) respectfully.

I was trying to avoid a major Decepticon power struggle because that has been done to death in the various cartoons and Marvel and previous IDW comics.

Or maybe Earth could be completely unimportant, as per the initial Furman run of IDWverse? It was just one of many battlefields. Completely unremarkable. That always seemed to make the most sense to me, given the Great War has ran in most fiction for millions of years. Of which Earth was only populated by humanity for the smallest fraction of that.

I'd like a Future book, minus any G1 characters. The Takara series had their own issues but I did like the idea that the leadership/hierarchy changed and evolved as the years went by. It is completely asinine to suggest anyone from the leaders to the front line troops there at the beginning of a millennia spanning conflict would still be alive for the duration.

Stargrave wrote:-Michael states "Giving Cybertron a rebirth before the events that lead to the war was really important." He wants the planet to feel like a character in its own right.

That reminds me of a quote giving the idea behind the last reboot of Robocop. I'm paraphrasing, but the lead actor talked up how interesting it would be to focus more on Murphy...

I'm a bit excited at the prospect of a cliffjumper and Magnus based stories. Magnus has become one of my favorites in the past few years

Stargrave wrote:
-Michael states "Giving Cybertron a rebirth before the events that lead to the war was really important." He wants the planet to feel like a character in its own right.

Hey, maybe they'll have a full-on planet-forming Primus this time!

Latebrus-K wrote:

Stargrave wrote:
-Michael states "Giving Cybertron a rebirth before the events that lead to the war was really important." He wants the planet to feel like a character in its own right.

Hey, maybe they'll have a full-on planet-forming Primus this time!

They sorta did... Just that Primus was hiding in plain sight and one Cybertron transformed... Just not the main one

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:I'm a bit excited at the prospect of a cliffjumper and Magnus based stories. Magnus has become one of my favorites in the past few years

I'm not aware about this but i really wanna read it.
so far this comics isn't for me, even sixshot like this wasn't my taste, he was so powerful in the old idwverse, i'm disappointed.
I won't buy the trade.

Just in from iTunes is the three page preview for Transformers #10! Did someone order Six Shot? Six Shot anyone? Surely a phase sixer (or what was formerly known as such in the canon) means some next level destruction is about to take place. Like, one, two...yeah, that's six times the normal destruction. The title is slated to his August 7th, no word yet on if it will also include a bonus pack of the Transformers Trading Card Game.

Enjoy the images and as always share your views with the Seibertron crew in the forums, and stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news!

Publisher Description
"Fear spreads through Cybertron, leading more and more citizens into the waiting arms of the Ascenticon movement—making Bumblebee’s new job as part of the Guard much more difficult. Meanwhile, Chromia and Windblade follow-up on a lead, but digging up the dirt will put them face-to-face with a new foe..."

Sterile lines delivered by dullards walking and talking about the boring plot of this series.

Anyways looking forward to Galaxies with hope that it can salvage this thing.

I was reading it wondering if it would have said more without the dialogue at all. I mean, I try not to be negative but yawn.

Looks to be another boring issue

Is that beast wars Megatron I see marching there? In his pre-beast wars body of course

The solicit for this issue seems to be what actually happened in the last issue.

You know, aside from the general dullness this comic seems to be exuding, I wonder if part of the problem is that the comic is still being used as a toy-selling vehicle to some degree. Like, all the named characters are either based on existing toys or have precious little effort put into their design. I feel like Hasbro/IDW have put the cart before the horse; wouldn't it be better to create the comic fairly independently, and then if it sells well make toys of the characters people want?

Black Hat wrote:You know, aside from the general dullness this comic seems to be exuding, I wonder if part of the problem is that the comic is still being used as a toy-selling vehicle to some degree. Like, all the named characters are either based on existing toys or have precious little effort put into their design. I feel like Hasbro/IDW have put the cart before the horse; wouldn't it be better to create the comic fairly independently, and then if it sells well make toys of the characters people want?

Nah, cause half the cast are not tpys or are old toys. Granted, Rubble was made to die, but that Elita One has more in common with her Botcon figure than the one she got LAST YEAR. Sox Shot is not an old release per se, but he's not on shelves, Brainstprm wasnt drawn from eithrr of his two recent figures, and there's Froid.

The problem is entirely due to pacing and editting. Different Characters would still be giving the same lines.

The sad part is I really liked that panel with Megs and Bee, it shows Bee's guilt and either gives Megatron a bit of humanity bore his descent into villiany, or shows an early image of him twisting the knife in Bee's spark, but I suspect the former at play.

That's how it should be but I think hasbro has taken the reigns a lot more and thus we've lost the creative freedom IDW had in 2005

sol magnus wrote:The solicit for this issue seems to be what actually happened in the last issue.

Yeah, apparently the solicitations for 9 and 10 were swapped, so we are getting this issue what we were promised last issue.

Also, I really want Megatron to be sincere here.

D-Maximal_Primal wrote:

sol magnus wrote:The solicit for this issue seems to be what actually happened in the last issue.

Yeah, apparently the solicitations for 9 and 10 were swapped, so we are getting this issue what we were promised last issue.

Also, I really want Megatron to be sincere here.

Which should mean Sentinel Prime, Starscream and Nautica show up this issue.

Yeah, I hate to say it but I think it's too late for this to pick up the pace with thr arrival of more main/well-known characters. Unless some serious (and interesting) exposition happens in this issue, this thing is dead.

Rodimus Prime wrote:Yeah, I hate to say it but I think it's too late for this to pick up the pace with thr arrival of more main/well-known characters. Unless some serious (and interesting) exposition happens in this issue, this thing is dead.

5 guys who comment in this forum isn't the final arbiter of what's "dead" or not.

sol magnus wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Yeah, I hate to say it but I think it's too late for this to pick up the pace with thr arrival of more main/well-known characters. Unless some serious (and interesting) exposition happens in this issue, this thing is dead.

5 guys who comment in this forum isn't the final arbiter of what's "dead" or not.

This is true, unless they mean dead to them. The fact that several issues other then the first have had to be reprinted shows that it's doing something right for some people. Would be interesting to see sales figures.

ZeroWolf wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Yeah, I hate to say it but I think it's too late for this to pick up the pace with thr arrival of more main/well-known characters. Unless some serious (and interesting) exposition happens in this issue, this thing is dead.

5 guys who comment in this forum isn't the final arbiter of what's "dead" or not.

This is true, unless they mean dead to them. The fact that several issues other then the first have had to be reprinted shows that it's doing something right for some people. Would be interesting to see sales figures.

While I get people's issues with the floppy format, even bi-weekly, I re-read the entire series in one go, and it comes off much better in that format. My opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary.

i like the art

sol magnus wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Yeah, I hate to say it but I think it's too late for this to pick up the pace with thr arrival of more main/well-known characters. Unless some serious (and interesting) exposition happens in this issue, this thing is dead.

5 guys who comment in this forum isn't the final arbiter of what's "dead" or not.

Yeah, I should have been clearer. It's dead to me. Better?

Rodimus Prime wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Yeah, I hate to say it but I think it's too late for this to pick up the pace with thr arrival of more main/well-known characters. Unless some serious (and interesting) exposition happens in this issue, this thing is dead.

5 guys who comment in this forum isn't the final arbiter of what's "dead" or not.

Yeah, I should have been clearer. It's dead to me. Better?

Much.

In a very slightly related (to the series) note, Hasbro is releasing a Cyberverse Deadlock figure. It would be awesome to have Deadlock play into the Siege era series. Galaxies, maybe?

sol magnus wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:

sol magnus wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Yeah, I hate to say it but I think it's too late for this to pick up the pace with thr arrival of more main/well-known characters. Unless some serious (and interesting) exposition happens in this issue, this thing is dead.

5 guys who comment in this forum isn't the final arbiter of what's "dead" or not.

Yeah, I should have been clearer. It's dead to me. Better?

Much.

In a very slightly related (to the series) note, Hasbro is releasing a Cyberverse Deadlock figure. It would be awesome to have Deadlock play into the Siege era series. Galaxies, maybe?

I hope they use deadlock later when we see decepticons,
but let me clarify, i don't hate this new idw comics, it's just not what i want to read (except issue 6, the art was surprising and i loved the megs/optimus friendship situation).
Nonetheless, because i only buy trades lately, i won't but these.

Thanks to a head's up from IDW's Twitter we've learned that PiexelatedGeek.com has a brief interview with IDW's Transformers Galaxies writer Tyler Bleszinski. This is broken into both a written portion excerpted below along with a supplemental five minute interview with Mr. Bleszinski.

In the video portion Tyler touches on how this story will take place recently after the Constructicons have been forged and follows them as they make choices that will shape their darker destiny. He doesn't want to spoil how Devastator comes into play, but states this will be a character quite unlike the Devastator we saw way back in the old G1 cartoon. Enjoy the interview below and click on the embedded video for a few extra cool tidbits from Tyler on the origins of his interest in the characters and the Transformers brand as a whole

Don't forget to share your thoughts in the forums and stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news!


"This September we’ll be getting a brand new anthology series from IDW – Transformers: Galaxies. The first four-part story will focus on the original combiner team, the Constructicons.
At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con we had a chance to sit down with writer Tyler Bleszinski to talk about why he wanted to write this story, why the Transformers, and specifically the Constructicons, are so important to him, and what we can expect from the series"

"After we turned off the cameras we talked with Tyler a little more; I always like the little conversations you have with people after the recording’s over, everybody’s more relaxed when they don’t have a camera in their face. Lucky for me, the backup recording was still going, so I caught a little of the conversation."

"Tyler: There’s so much to learn from seeing them in action, seeing them do what they do, even if it’s just as much as them building something. To me, that was the was the coolest thing about the Constructions. I always thought, man, they’re like these builder bots, they should really be Autobots. How did they become Decepticons? And then the cartoon…I don’t know if you followed the cartoon..
Elizabeth: It was the one with Omega Supreme, right?
Yes, the cartoon basically swept it away because Megatron had a Robosmasher that brainwashed them. I mean…really?
It takes it away from them.
There’s no choice! As much as I loved that episode because the Constructicons are featured so prominently, I always hated that aspect of it, that they didn’t make a choice to do what they did, they were forced into it. And while there’s there’s an aspect of them being forced into certain things here too, it’s choices that they make to bring them there."

"The thing I loved about the old IDW series was when they showed how Megatron became Megatron. In the cartoon the Decepticons were bad bad bad, evil evil evil, the Autobots heroic, awesome, incredible, The Best. And when I read the IDW series that featured Megatron being a miner, and then wising up to rebel against the bourgeois Autobot senate, I was like “Damn, finally somebody gets it, there should be layers here! Like Walter White or Tony Soprano, that should be Megatron!” Not like, cookie cutter villain."

A Contructicon focused history sounds cool.

Kinda sounds like what the Combaticons part of TAAO should have been. Or at least what I expected it to be. Anyway, I'm looking forward to this, it can't be worse than the current series.

Stargrave wrote:"The thing I loved about the old IDW series was when they showed how Megatron became Megatron. In the cartoon the Decepticons were bad bad bad, evil evil evil, the Autobots heroic, awesome, incredible, The Best. And when I read the IDW series that featured Megatron being a miner, and then wising up to rebel against the bourgeois Autobot senate, I was like “Damn, finally somebody gets it, there should be layers here!

Kudos to them. That, I took notice of. Directly referencing Megatron: Origin in relation to the "old IDW series", not any of the silly retcon that came later.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:

Stargrave wrote:"The thing I loved about the old IDW series was when they showed how Megatron became Megatron. In the cartoon the Decepticons were bad bad bad, evil evil evil, the Autobots heroic, awesome, incredible, The Best. And when I read the IDW series that featured Megatron being a miner, and then wising up to rebel against the bourgeois Autobot senate, I was like “Damn, finally somebody gets it, there should be layers here!

Kudos to them. That, I took notice of. Directly referencing Megatron: Origin in relation to the "old IDW series", not any of the silly retcon that came later.

my hero

Thanks again to our own ScottyP we've learned that Previews World has updated their listings with the incentive cover for IDW's Transformers issue #11 with art by none other than fan favorite Guido Guidi! Depicted in this cover is Quake still hanging onto his Titans Return wardrobe but sporting his old double Targetmaster pals Tip Top and Heater in their combined super weapon form. Anyone who's been reading the series so far will note neither Targetmaster (Battlemaster? Micromaster?) has made an appearance so far and as of this writing it is unknown if this is just a nod to the fans or actual foreshadowing of characters to debut in the issue.

Written by Brian Ruckley with art by Andrew Griffith and Bethany McGuire-Smith the issue is due August 28th at a comic shop near you. Pick up a copy and share your thoughts with your fellow Seibertronians in the forum and as always stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news!

From Preview World's description:
"Chromia and Windblade raid a Rise base in search for clues about the identity of Brainstorm's murderer, only to be discovered-and the Rise isn't happy. Meanwhile, Bumblebee sees his first bit of action as the Ascenticon Guard is called to defend a building under siege! As questions are answered, more mysteries abound! Who commands the Rise? In Shops: Aug 28, 2019"

It is almost as if the cover, alongside verbs such as 'raid ' 'bit of action' and 'under siege' in the solicit are intentionally trying to address vocal responses to this book?

Honestly, if the galaxies book turns out as interesting as the above article suggests, they should just cut their losses with the "main" book.

What do you mean "Hanging on to his TR Wardrobe"? He looks nothing like that figure outside the head

Prime Target wrote:What do you mean "Hanging on to his TR Wardrobe"? He looks nothing like that figure outside the head

Shoot and I have TR Quake right here on the shelf I goofed. I thought he’d been sporting his TR shell earlier in the series I think I was going off that memory. My bad. Good call.

Stargrave wrote:

Prime Target wrote:What do you mean "Hanging on to his TR Wardrobe"? He looks nothing like that figure outside the head

Shoot and I have TR Quake right here on the shelf I goofed. I thought he’d been sporting his TR shell earlier in the series I think I was going off that memory. My bad. Good call.

In the series, he's using the Titans Return retooled Hardhead body, IMS.

sol magnus wrote:

Stargrave wrote:

Prime Target wrote:What do you mean "Hanging on to his TR Wardrobe"? He looks nothing like that figure outside the head

Shoot and I have TR Quake right here on the shelf I goofed. I thought he’d been sporting his TR shell earlier in the series I think I was going off that memory. My bad. Good call.

In the series, he's using the Titans Return retooled Hardhead body, IMS.

Ok so I’m not completely off. Just jumped the gun a bit in regards to the cover, which does look awesome I really like Guidi’s art.

Thanks to an update at Comixology we have summaries for the first two issues of Transformers Galaxies! While some fans have found the new regular ongoing Transformers title fulfilling others have been left wanting. These same fans are hoping the new Transformers Galaxies series will help fill the void left when IDW's previous universe ended their continuity. Each issue is listed at $3.99 with issue 1 expected September 25th and issue 2 expected October 30th. Enjoy the summaries below and let us know your thoughts in the forums, and as always stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news!


Issue #1:
Written by: Tyler Bleszinski
Art by: Livio Ramondelli
"Cybertron, a planet of vast beauty and extraordinary cities, wasn’t always so perfect. After the War Against the Threefold Spark, Cybertron was decimated, and new bots—the Constructicons—emerged to help rebuild it grander and more amazing than ever before. But where are these bots now? Why have they been erased from Cybertron’s history? And what are they planning to do about it? Find out in “Constructicons Rising,” Part One!"


Issue #2:
Written by: Tyler Bleszinski
Art by: Livio Ramondelli
"“CONSTRUCTICONS RISING,” PART 2! The Constructicons are training—they know their time is coming. They’re almost ready to stand at their once glorious height. They just need a sign and some energon. When a mysterious benefactor arrives promising to provide both, how can the Constructicons resist?"

I will pick these up but I wish they'd get rid of Livio. Not a fan of his art at all.

Windsweeper wrote:I will pick these up but I wish they'd get rid of Livio. Not a fan of his art at all.

Agreed. Never liked it. The Primacy Trilogy is largely unreadable with no discernible visual narrative (aside from it being meaningless retcon, of course) and most of CHAOS, too. I thought the reboot was supposed to be a fresh start on every level.

Thanks to a post to artist Clayton Crain's website we've learned of an alternate cover to Transformers: Galaxies #1. Mr. Crain has certainly constructed an amazing piece of art showing the king of the Combiners in mid assembly. The issue is written by Tyler Bleszinski with art by long time Transformer artist Livio Ramondelli. The issue is expected to ship next month which is just a few weeks away. Also shown below is the finalized art for the regular retail cover, and also an interview with the writer and artist from the San Diego Comic Con last month where they go into detail of their own personal histories with the characters. Enjoy the images and as always share your view with the Seibertron crew in the forums. Make sure to stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news!

Finalized regular retail cover for issue #1:


Interview from SDCC from pexelatedgeek.com with Tyler Bleszinski and Livio Ramondelli from the SDCC2019:




Cover for issue #2:

Artwork looks great. Im very interested in this series and where it goes. Do we know if it's a mini series or another, longer run?

soundwave765 wrote:Artwork looks great. Im very interested in this series and where it goes. Do we know if it's a mini series or another, longer run?

The way I understood I think it's sort of like the old Spotlight stuff, but instead of a series of one shots, it's effectively a collection of mini series focused on different characters. According to the wiki after the Constructicons they'll be looking at Cliffjumper, then Arcee, then Ultra Magnus.

Thanks! That would be nice. A bit more bread and butter to the characters versus a one shot. Now I'm really optimistic about this series.