Once again, the TFCon prelude comic is online via 6 full color pages written by Meesum Abidi and illustrated by myself.

http://www.tfcon.ca/gallery/TFcon-2009-PreludeComic

Make sure you read this before Saturday and come join us for the live script reading, where the conclusion of the story will be told with voice actor Dan Gilvezan and members of the audience. You can audition and be a part of the show!

I hope you enjoy the artwork. I only had two weeks to finish, and to lighten the load it was shortened to 4 pages instead of six, but I would have none of that and drew six pages anyway, because that's how I roll. Despite usually scrambling to finish on time, and having less time to finish than previous years, I motored right through it and was able to work at a comfortable pace most of the time. It was fun to draw and I think the work is my best yet, so let me know if you like it.

Speaking of artwork, on Sunday I will be hosting a "How to Draw Transformers" panel alongside the infamous GUBER. We will walk you through the steps and you'll be able to draw right there with us, as everyone will be getting pencils and paper. Everyone is welcome, especially kids and beginning artists, but make sure you show up early because space may be limited. It's currently scheduled for 2 pm Sunday. The current event schedule might say 3 pm, but it's been moved to 2.

Hope to see everyone at the convention! I am a ninja but I won't be too hard to find, so come and say hi!

Sayonara.

Lookin' good, as always, Ninja.

I especially like the look on Powerglide's face in the last panel on page 2. And, apparently, Thurst and I share a similar thought process

"Ooh... right in the FACE!"

See you on Saturday!

Are the scripts from these readings ever made available online?

I have the script for 2006 in my closet, I think. I was on of the voice actors.

I put the audio online once too.

I'm almost positive that I have the '07 script somewhere. I was one of the voice actors

There's video online of the '07 reading. Depending on version, I'm the guy standing in front of the camera.

I bet that if I asked Meesum real nicely, he'd send me transcripts for posting

EDIT: But enough about the script reading, talk about the comic!

Well, the comic is 6 pages, with Goldbug, Powerglide and some Protectabots being on a deserted Cybertron in 2009 when Dirge, Thrust, Ramjet and Astrotrain attack. I'm surprised they webt with G1 forms. They could have illustrated them all in Classics/Universe/Henkei bodies. Would have been neat.

Yeah, but this is a follow up to Rebirth, or at least it seems to be. Makes sense to keep it like the cartoon...

I didn't realize that Goldbug's upgrade was so fragile that one shot to the face would cause it all to crumble off!

I think the continuity is a bit open, but it works. Just would be nice to see them using the new toys.

There was no Classics/Henkei Goldbug. Well, maybe Henkei BB COULD be Goldbug, depending on where the chrome is...

::Checks pictures::

Eh, only on the intake and the spoiler. It'd be a bit of a stretch. Besides, then the hits would only cause the chrome to flake, rather than break off the Goldbug form.

...

Actually, that'd be pretty funny.

"Oh, and by the way, the name's Bumblebe-DAMMITI'MNOLONGERMINT!"

That's GPS for ya, baby! (even though he didn't actually have gold plastic)
I think it's more ridiculous that he had his old body inside his new body. it... just... I... whatever. :>

Did the entire back half of his vehicle mode that hangs off his shoulders crumble and fall off? If so, what turns into that part of the vehicle now? If it's his collarbone like on the original Bumblebee toy, then why did Goldbug have that big piece of kibble to begin with? And don't even get me started on Goldbug's double-wheel feet...

Well, as far as illustrating goes, there was no "they", only me. Yeah, that would have been neat, and fun to draw. It never occurred to me to do that, and there was nothing in the script to indicate the characters would look any different from the cartoon episodes that the story is set after. A missed opportunity, I guess, but I prefer it the way it is. It may just be a coincidence that several of the characters have been redone recently. But there is no telling who else might show up in the script reading itself, so going that route with all Classics might not be feasible anyway.


No more ridiculous than any size shifting or mass displacement found in those episodes. Goldbug has larger proportions than Bumblebee. Perhaps Bumblebee's body was healing inside Goldbug all this time, and all it needed was a good solid crack to in the armor to fully develop and emerge.


Yes, everything Goldbug crumbled off. Getting shot in the face only started that. Smashing into Astrotrain at high speed is when things really got cracking. You can say that his body quickly adapted to the circumstances and fully became Bumblebee again, reverting to his previous form to compensate for is crumbling armor if you want.


I don't know. Where does Optimus' trailer go when he transforms? How does Soundwave keep all those little robots in his tape compartment? How does Megatron transform into a small gun?
I just looked at the script, looked at the animation character designs published in The Ark book, and made it all work as best as I could. Bumblebee shedding off his Goldbug skin what I came up with based on what I had, and the concept was just too cool not to draw it that way.

Sayonara.

Hehehehe. I'm just teasing ya, Ninjatron. I know the style of the TFcon fiction. It's still hilariously ridiculous though. (Like much of G1. I don't remember much of it to really do a SERIOUS (BUSINESS, the internet is) comparison, but the TFcon fiction seems to be the peak of G1 in that regard.)

Yeah, we try to keep the comic sort-of-serious and the script reading really silly. Goldbug turning back into Bumblebee is pretty out there as far as suspension of disbelief, but that's what the script called for, basically, and the concept is pretty cool so I just went for it. But my drawing style can get kind of silly anyway, because I am a weird guy. Still, this is me restraining myself. If I totally cut loose I would make Car Robots looks positively subdued by comparison.

Here's the final page without text.


TFCon 2009: Goldbug-Bumblebee by ~ninjatron on deviantART

I'll have a few prints of this for sale so people can get them signed by Dan Gilvezan if they want. I'll only have a few though. Track me down and me know if you want one.

Sayonara.