The answer to both your questions is: Ebay. They bought a loose Primus that wasn't in great shape, and a couple old War Planets toys, and then they did some kitbashing and...
IDW to Lose the Transformers License?
- Thread starter ZakuConvoy
- Start date
he could be trying to get out before the ship sinks
Rather than focus on IDW's potential collapse I'll just say that I loved the run. Even the rebooted continuity, which I knew wasn't everyone's cup of tea.
The original IDW run was like the single longest running continuity in the franchise's history and that's not nothing. It was amazing the scope it spanned and the characters covered and the issues tackled.
For anything that comes next...
War Within was cool because we hadn't really had a deep dive into what things were like "before the war." Maybe an episode or issue here or there, some off-hand comment in an episode perhaps.
But since War Within...we had Megatron Origins. And entirely miniseries and story arcs of the main comic continuity set in the era before the War or at the start. And one complaint about the second IDW continuity was that it wasted too much time in a slow build to the start of the war.
So as much as I love that stuff... I'd like to see Transformers comics take a step back from the pre-war stuff. Throw us into the middle of a present day adventure.
The original IDW run was like the single longest running continuity in the franchise's history and that's not nothing. It was amazing the scope it spanned and the characters covered and the issues tackled.
For anything that comes next...
War Within was cool because we hadn't really had a deep dive into what things were like "before the war." Maybe an episode or issue here or there, some off-hand comment in an episode perhaps.
But since War Within...we had Megatron Origins. And entirely miniseries and story arcs of the main comic continuity set in the era before the War or at the start. And one complaint about the second IDW continuity was that it wasted too much time in a slow build to the start of the war.
So as much as I love that stuff... I'd like to see Transformers comics take a step back from the pre-war stuff. Throw us into the middle of a present day adventure.
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Not really related to War Within, but maybe along a parallel track: Its probably something more suitable for a mini-series than a regular run, but I would like to see a G1ish Transformers series where the Autobots and Decepticons wake up in the late 1950s-early 1960s. Give them all appropriate vintage altmodes. Then, fast forward to the 80s or modern day. The presence of the Cybertronians during the energy crisis exacerbated the situation to the point that everyone was desperately scrounging for fuel, they never reconnect with Cybertron, and the war devolves into little more than the rusty, energy-depleted survivors skirmishing over resources.
They'll do a alternate 90's series called Transformers Extreme where the edgy punk kids of the previous line ups head for earth and cause trouble.
'Bots led by OP who come to explore and learn , the 'cons led by Megs who wants to help his old man by reigniting his desires and ambitions for total domination by gathering energon.
'Bots led by OP who come to explore and learn , the 'cons led by Megs who wants to help his old man by reigniting his desires and ambitions for total domination by gathering energon.
I think you just sumed up G2 lol
i think the best they did was to actually END the war. i never thought we would see an end to it, but there it was. 20 some years of fighting, and then someone thinks "hey, lets actually end this thing and see where it goes". my only complaint is that mtmte/lost light couldve done with a few decepticons onboard (not just the scavnegers), just to show the view of the other side instead of all autobot pov
In fairness, there have been ends before... we just never really got to see much of what resulted without it starting up again in some way.
Skybound's Purchase of IDW's Transformers Could Save The Main Continuity
Skybound might save IDW's Transformers.
screenrant.com
Skybound's Purchase of IDW's Transformers Could Save The Main Continuity
Skybound might save IDW's Transformers.
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Also, this is the first time I've seen "There's too much going on!" levelled as a criticism of Ruckley's (excellent) run.
I...kind of see where he's coming from, honestly. (Not the Michael Bay thing, though, that's just...I don't know what that is.)
Downer complaints below....
Downer complaints below....
One of the reasons I think the pacing is so poor on Ruckley's book is because we're focusing on too many different characters all at once. If we were focusing on one group of characters for a few issues here and another group of characters for another two or three issues there it wouldn't be such a big problem. But it feels like we're focusing on 3 or 4 different groups every issue and it takes 3 or 4 issues to get back to those same characters.
Take Cyclonus, for example. We followed his story of revenge for a long time in this book. According to the wiki, I believe he shows up in issues 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 17, 26, 28, and 30 (where his big revenge story finally ends) (Forgive me if I'm forgetting any issues, I can't be bothered to page through all my back issues.). And NONE of these issues are focused on his story alone. In all of these issues, his story is just one of many different stories playing out for a few pages each. Cyclonus's story, in my opinion, should have been a 3 issue arc, not stretched out over the course of 30 issues.
And it's the same for every other character arc in this book. Bumblebee's defection to the Decepticons. Megatron's plan with the Ascenticons eventually becoming the Decepticons. The murder mystery. Dealing with the other alien races on Cybertron. They're all interesting plot points, but we only see them for a few pages every few issues. We keep switching focus to different plot points, which I think robs the story of any impact. You can't really have hard-hitting emotional payoffs when the audience is struggling to remember what the plot points for this specific plot thread were ten issues ago.
And everything takes so long to play out. And then there's the shipping delays that have been plaguing the book. It all kind of turns what could be interesting plot points into...bland stewed cabbage for me. It all turns into a morass of dull storytelling. So, while I DO think there's a lot of good ideas here...the execution is lacking terribly.
And maybe it's not Ruckley's fault. I've always wondered if the reason why IDW rebooted in the first place was because Hasbro wanted the comics to better reflect the toys. And Hasbro probably wants as many toys in their comics as possible. That's hard to do. I just don't think Ruckley did it very well, if that's even the case.
Now, after issue 30 I do believe there's been some improvement on the book. I have to wonder how much of that is because the book may be ending, but still. Plots are actually paying off, and not taking as long to do so. But...I can't blame someone if it's too little, too late for them.
To be honest, even if there weren't any rumors about IDW losing the license...I'd still want Ruckley to wrap up his run and give someone else a chance already. I've been enjoying basically every other book IDW's put out more than the main one. Galaxies, Wreckers, Shattered Glass, and even King Grimlock. The Halloween special was even pretty great, I think. I just don't personally like Ruckley's writing style.
Mind you, I do still hope he gets to wrap up his run somehow. I don't want people who are fans of this run to be left in the lurch, that's never fun. I remember Furman's IDW run getting cut short, and that hurt, I don't want that for people. But...it baffles me how he's managed to last almost 50 issues on this book.
I could go on, but...I feel like I'm kicking Ruckley while he's down.
Take Cyclonus, for example. We followed his story of revenge for a long time in this book. According to the wiki, I believe he shows up in issues 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 17, 26, 28, and 30 (where his big revenge story finally ends) (Forgive me if I'm forgetting any issues, I can't be bothered to page through all my back issues.). And NONE of these issues are focused on his story alone. In all of these issues, his story is just one of many different stories playing out for a few pages each. Cyclonus's story, in my opinion, should have been a 3 issue arc, not stretched out over the course of 30 issues.
And it's the same for every other character arc in this book. Bumblebee's defection to the Decepticons. Megatron's plan with the Ascenticons eventually becoming the Decepticons. The murder mystery. Dealing with the other alien races on Cybertron. They're all interesting plot points, but we only see them for a few pages every few issues. We keep switching focus to different plot points, which I think robs the story of any impact. You can't really have hard-hitting emotional payoffs when the audience is struggling to remember what the plot points for this specific plot thread were ten issues ago.
And everything takes so long to play out. And then there's the shipping delays that have been plaguing the book. It all kind of turns what could be interesting plot points into...bland stewed cabbage for me. It all turns into a morass of dull storytelling. So, while I DO think there's a lot of good ideas here...the execution is lacking terribly.
And maybe it's not Ruckley's fault. I've always wondered if the reason why IDW rebooted in the first place was because Hasbro wanted the comics to better reflect the toys. And Hasbro probably wants as many toys in their comics as possible. That's hard to do. I just don't think Ruckley did it very well, if that's even the case.
Now, after issue 30 I do believe there's been some improvement on the book. I have to wonder how much of that is because the book may be ending, but still. Plots are actually paying off, and not taking as long to do so. But...I can't blame someone if it's too little, too late for them.
To be honest, even if there weren't any rumors about IDW losing the license...I'd still want Ruckley to wrap up his run and give someone else a chance already. I've been enjoying basically every other book IDW's put out more than the main one. Galaxies, Wreckers, Shattered Glass, and even King Grimlock. The Halloween special was even pretty great, I think. I just don't personally like Ruckley's writing style.
Mind you, I do still hope he gets to wrap up his run somehow. I don't want people who are fans of this run to be left in the lurch, that's never fun. I remember Furman's IDW run getting cut short, and that hurt, I don't want that for people. But...it baffles me how he's managed to last almost 50 issues on this book.
I could go on, but...I feel like I'm kicking Ruckley while he's down.
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I would be shocked if they kept IDW's continuity. Though I'd be shocked if they wound up doing anything but an early G1 inspired take on things like how Dreamwave and IDW started. Cast of the popular characters fighting the war on earth.
We rewind (Hi, Rewind!) all the way back to when the war was first getting started. Optimus Prime and Megatron were roommates in college. Optimus kept correcting Megatron's grammar. Megatron wasn't sure what his grammar even had to do with anything, she was taking a nap. The conflict escalated, all their friends took sides...
Fast forward to Earth, where Swindle realized the fact that two sets of giant robots fighting a quick war, realizing this was going nowhere, and then quitting wouldn't sell, so every bit of Transformers entertainment you see is fake. It's all just made up, with this endless war going on forever simply to milk the merchandising. You occasionally see them screw it up, like how Optimus and Megatron both die at some point but then they're back in a spinoff and they just like to say "Oh, that was the Matrix or something..." but we know they were at a resort the entire time...
Did I mention the Unicron landing was fake? Galvatron's not real, either, that was just Megatron in a hat, standing on Orson Wells stomach and-
Fast forward to Earth, where Swindle realized the fact that two sets of giant robots fighting a quick war, realizing this was going nowhere, and then quitting wouldn't sell, so every bit of Transformers entertainment you see is fake. It's all just made up, with this endless war going on forever simply to milk the merchandising. You occasionally see them screw it up, like how Optimus and Megatron both die at some point but then they're back in a spinoff and they just like to say "Oh, that was the Matrix or something..." but we know they were at a resort the entire time...
Did I mention the Unicron landing was fake? Galvatron's not real, either, that was just Megatron in a hat, standing on Orson Wells stomach and-
Except, this time, everyone is a girl!
That would actually be something unique! I would 100% be behind that.Except, this time, everyone is a girl!
Have to disagree with Zaku. In my mind, what you're describing is a feature, not a bug.
I wasn't on-board with IDW2 until issue #12 or so. But once the world was established and multiple plots set in motion, that's where it got interesting. Many things were happening, many characters on different paths for different reasons, occasionally colliding. Some characters (like early stars Chromia, Prowl, and Windblade) fade to the background when their stories aren't as relevant, but new character step up. One scene, and this version of Pyra Magna was immediately so much more appealing than IDW1's ever was. The formula Ruckley is using with many different stories advancing simultaneously is a successful one, since that's basically what Game of Thrones was for years. The execution may not grab you, personally, but the formula is sound.
I wasn't on-board with IDW2 until issue #12 or so. But once the world was established and multiple plots set in motion, that's where it got interesting. Many things were happening, many characters on different paths for different reasons, occasionally colliding. Some characters (like early stars Chromia, Prowl, and Windblade) fade to the background when their stories aren't as relevant, but new character step up. One scene, and this version of Pyra Magna was immediately so much more appealing than IDW1's ever was. The formula Ruckley is using with many different stories advancing simultaneously is a successful one, since that's basically what Game of Thrones was for years. The execution may not grab you, personally, but the formula is sound.
I mean, that formula is how Chris Claremont made the X-Men the powerhouse they are. Granted, that was 30+ years ago--but James Roberts did much the same with MTMTE. (And a common complaint against Roberts was that he focused too much on a small core cast!)