From Michael Bay to the fans after Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen's first day:

The 400 critics around the globe spoke. Then fans around the world spoke.

Transformers made $60.6 million dollars in the United States for a total of around $100 million from the world on opening day! One of the biggest single days in movie history.

Then never seem to understand that I make movies for people to take a ride and escape.

To all the Transformer Fans - Thank You

Michael

Check out Michael Bay's full message here!

Our own Hydra was able to attend Transfunket 10, the only Transformer-based convention currently held in Japan! Held biannually during the summer and winter, Hydra was lucky enough to check out the event prior to BotCon 2009, which is mainly centered around TF doujinshi (more or less "fan comics" or "fan zines" that covers a variety of topics depending on the fandom, NOT just boy love or hentai). Transfunket isn't just a gathering place for TF fans, but there's also participation from artists of official Transformers publication. Three such artists showed up in attendance, that of: Imaki "Imaking" Shouji (Beast Wars II, Neo, Metals manga, and Q-Robo), "Galaxy Force" manga artist Yoshihiro Iwamoto, and Naoto Tsushima of "Stargate Battles" and the current "Henkei! Henkei!" Hydra was able to chat with all three and get their thoughts on their respective works, as well some of the information zines that contained various material, like concept sketches for "Masterforce" that was never finalized.

Read Hydra's report at its fullest here and don't forget to sound off at our ever on-going TF Pulp thread!

The Sarah & Vinnie: Secret Show on FM 97.3 based in San Fransisco, California, has recently been able to chat with one of the many ILM animators that worked on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Shawn Kelly. Kelly talks about how he worked into ILM, and the animation process on the Transformers with additional input from Digital Domain.

Listen to the June 24 podcast!

The-Arker.com now has the boxart for the Toys 'R' Us exclusive Commemorative Edition of one of our favorite scientist Autobots, that of Perceptor! Photos include our Oxford-vocab Autobot's bio that's on the inside flap, while the back and side talks about celebrating 25 years of Transformers.

Check them out at The-Arker.com!

The-Arker.com has photos of the boxart for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Autobot Strike Mission 4-pack! In this packaging, you get Breakaway and Longarm versus Rampage and Sideways! On the back of the box, it looks like Sideways here is going to have some battle-damage aesthetics that's noticeable in vehicle mode.

Take a gander over at The-Arker.com!

Amidst the onslaught of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen interviews, Kevin Lukis of Unicron.com was "interviewed" alongside Mark Ryan over a quick history of Transformers and Ryan's work on both Transformers and Revenge on Minneapolis/St. Paul AM 1130 KFAN. Like the first film, Ryan was present on the sets most of the time to help with the actors during scenes with the Autobots, and how he changed voices when it came to voicing Jetfire in Revenge. Kevin talks a bit of the history of Transformers, explaining about how the original Megatron is an interesting case when it comes to sellers legally speaking.

Listen to it at YouTube, or KFAN's podcast archive on the June 28 section. Drop your thoughts off at his thread!

Although Comic Book Resources' interview with IDW editor Andy Shcmidt was a bit heavy on Star Trek, there were a couple paragraphs regarding his upcoming Spotlight Metroplex that hits shelves come July. Where most comics have an average of five panels on a page, the challenge for Schmidt was utilizing two-page spreads.

"Normally, you shoot for around five panels to a page, on average, but spreads are different and they have different rules so that the reader will read them properly. The canvas had changed. It was really tough, but what I'm finding is that every time I have an obstacle to overcome (especially since I'm still a fairly young comics writer) that it just makes me step my game up. It was a challenge, and figuring it out I think led to a better book."

Another interesting note is that it's from Goldbug's point of view, rather than the titular and massive Autobot .

Read the rest of the interview at Comic Book Resources and don't forget to pick up Spotlight Metroplex when he lands on shelves (and hopefully doesn't break them) on July 1!