Received that "Sig" from Sunstar at Siebertron.com

OK, so it's corny and probably not what I was expecting when I entered. (For some reason I thought I'd get to choose what to have done...nope. And I was kind of thinking along the lines of a blue flame Alt. Roddy for a new Pierrimus...)

Just to let you know, I'm working on some small .gif animations and images that are from way back in 1993. Do you remember the funny art pad thing you could hook to the TV and draw with, I think it was by Vtech but can't really recall and I haven't been able to find it again doing a google search. It was about $65 back then...but it's resoloution wasn't very good. Well, due to time and age I decided I should use my All-In-Wonder to digitize these old color images, I've removed most of the bottom seciton that used to be the tool/color selection bar on the screen. The process had the worst time with red or pink backgrounds and you'll be able to tell. One of the problems I had was that these cheap VCRs no longer have tracking and if you've changed VCRs over the years you probably know how fun it is to playback recordings. These will probably be posted with the next comic unless you clamor for them now...

I was going to post one here, but it seems a bit too big and I might have to shave it down to post elsewhere. Bummer.

BOP #31

BOP #31 is done and now available for ordering! It costs $3/US issue for those who want the whole thing (the physical issue). Email me at tkphoton@hotmail.com to get a copy!

(I had intended to have it out faster but I discovered several profiles that needed to be colored and added to the issue so that slowed me down as did doing the elaborate cover).


Also, the stories from BOP #30 are now up and readable at www.karmicsalt.com/boparchive.html


In regards to the future issues, BOP #32 is 95% ready to go (I need to do the cover). I have two more Autobot profiles that need done up (but will likely wait until issue #33). BOP #33 is done in rough draft while a couple of scenes of BOP #34 are written. BOP #32 will be out in early September on schedule and hopefully #33 will be out on time in October.

- Thunder

Soundwave superior, constructicons inferior...

I got my Soundwave mp3 player last week and thought I'd post my thoughts here. First off, I had to go out and get a mini-SD card for him... I put some files on it and nothing happened when inserted--it turns out you have to hold down the power button to get it to play! The files work fine--some better then others. I think this player has a limited range of sound. According to the Japanese on the box (which I can suddenly read and fluently) it says something about best sound at 128k and 60hz -16khz. Some of my files are far higher quality then that though... the lower ones sound better. It comes with space for one battery--stupid, since it limits the play time (why not two?) The toy itself isn't bad either--he transforms weird compared to classic Soundwave and uses different snap-on hands (one is the neutral hand and folds into him for a complete player mode while the other type is a "grip" one to hold his gun--but that one doesn't fold smooth into his player mode). I don't own any other mp3 players but if I did, I'd say this compares poorly with something like the iPod. No LCD screen, limited battery life, etc. The gimmick of a Transformer that can play sound files is cool though--I can see TF fans digging it big time while non fans should likely pass if all they want is a good mp3 player (also, the white color scheme looks better in-person then on-screen).

Good times in the UK !

Having just gotten back from the UK from a lovely vacation with my girlfriend, ofcourse I scoured the shops of London for TF stuff ! My aim was to find the new UK comic with artwork from Geoff senior but more on that later.....

The visit to Harrods was quite dissapointing, a TF race track, more than a couple of starscream protoforms, and assorted stuff like a mr potatoe optimus prime.....in the books section I got more lucky as they had the "ghosts of yesterday" novel.

later in the week we got a chance to visit the Forbidden Planet store in London and after that a couple more comic shops because we decided it was to be a nerd day :)

No UK comic there ! did pick up Infiltration and Escalation tpb's and the movie adaption, also by Alan Dean Foster.

finally on the last day, monday the 13th of august we found some of them at the WH Smith branch in london at Oxford street. at first I saw only the one with the autobot dogtags but my girl made sure that I did not forget the one with the Decepticon dogtags !!!!

So.....great vacation !

greetz johan

Remember the pic at the end of the last mag?

Well, my first time out trying to enter one of the photocontests on Siebertron.com and I won:

http://www.seibertron.com/news/view.php?id=11404

Yea, a custom sig's not that much, but I still can't beleive it.

Hope you're all doing well. I keep trying to get to squeeze in some drawing time here. Chat later.

Hmm, I'm not sure why but I'm not getting emails

Lately I have not received a single email when anyone posts to the blog. I just went and rechecked my settings and they all looked like they were alright. This began about the time I "upgraded" the account over to my Google account. Hopefully I'll figure this out. (If lucky this message should arrive in my inbox, if not I'll have to see if someone else has had the same problem.)

Great comic review.
Good work on that War Log, liked the comparison page. Supesbaby.

Thanks.

Comic Capsule Reviews...

Transformers: Megatron Origin #2

Writer: Eric Holmes
Artist: Alex Milne (p. 1-11, 20-22); Marcelo Matere (P. 12-19)

(Cover art by Alex Milne and Marcelo Matere)

Summary: Megatron slays a warrior in the Kaon Gladiatorial fights. Legions cheer him on! Elsewhere, some forces take note of his prowess and began to plan vaguely... Meanwhile, the Autobots have become aware of the rising popularity of the fights and together with Sentinel Prime plan to hunt Megatron down and capture him. Several units go out to various locations looking for the next fight and one unlucky unit finds them but is picked off before they can report back, thanks to Soundwave and his Recordacons. Soundwave also makes himself known to Megatron, offering him armaments to further his cause. The lone Autobot survivor is interrogated by Soundwave then killed by Megatron because he called Megs a "psychopath".

Comments: Much like last issue, I didn't care that much for issue #2. The artwork is okay (no confusing panels this time around) but the story still bothers me. For one thing, Megatron is hesitant to finish off his opponent at first (who looks like the old Gobot, Cykill, btw). Then, when he's cheered on, he decides it's okay and kills him (I guess he can't think for himself and will do anything for others' admiration). This makes him seem weak and unlike the Megatron we all know and love. I also get the impression that Soundwave and his employer are out to start the Decepticons (or something similiar) without a good rationale as to why being presented in the story. Once again, Megatron is a victim of circumstances, unable to come up with his own ideas and take control of his own destiny. Fan-wank moment: Cykill being in the comic and Megatron removing his helmet--which is supposed to be his actual head covering). On the good side, I liked seeing Skyquake in the background during the issue--I think this is his first official comic appearance.

Final verdict: Pass.



***
Transformers Timelines #2

Writers: Story by Forest Lee, Peter Sinclair and Ben Yee (Forest Lee, script)
Artist: Alex Milne

(Cover by Alex Milne)

Summary: Ultra Magnus leads a team to Earth in pursuit of Bug Bite and his crew. On Earth, Bug Bite awaits Megatron's arrival in a few hours time... elsewhere, Optimus Prime carries a wounded Hot Rod and Jetfire follows him into Autobase. They catch Bumblebee up on their recent battle where Cliffjumper disappeared (see the club comic). Meanwhile, Grimlock gets a message from Springer to come meet him and he takes off, with Mirage in pursuit (unknown to him). At Bug Bite's ship, Starscream, Ramjet and Skywarp arrive and meet with him. They detect the cloaked Mirage immediately (which seems odd) and capture him. Nearby, Magnus and his crew watch and as Starscream goes to finish Mirage, Bug Bite shoots him and his warriors, stunning them long enough to implant them with Cerebro shells. He orders Starscream to take them to Megatron directly--Mirage can be a peace offering. Later, Bug Bite attacks Megatron and tries to take control of him as well... outside, Elita-One deals with Ravage so Magnus' team can invade the ship. Megatron fights off Bug Bite's mind control and before he can use his warriors to attack Megatron, the Autobots activate a jammer to render the other Cerebro Shells useless. The Autobots attack just then, many die and Megatron kills off Bug Bite. The Autobots escape and Megatron shakes his fist, vowing revenge... epilogue: Magnus and co. say goodbye to Optimus Prime and leave Earth orbit.

Comments: Well, like the last couple of club/convention comics, this one gets the job done storywise. It introduces the convention toys in a story, uses them and/or kills some off. Check. It's not the greatest TF story ever but a decent attempt. The artwork was fairly good for a change--imagine my surprise at having no Dan Khanna at all in this comic (I hate his sequential art, so good riddance!)

Final Verdict: Mildly Recommended.

(btw, I got a copy of the Convention version of the comic. However, there is also a regular comic shop edition as well--but I had trouble finding a copy when it apparently hit the store shelves).



***
Transformers Spotlight
Galvatron

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Guido Guidi

(Cover art by Alex Milne and Guido Guidi)

Summary: Some aliens study a spatial anomaly when suddenly they're attacked from something that emerges from the anomaly. It is Galvatron and he destroys the aliens completely. On Cybertron, Sideswipe, Hound and others are stationed there passing the time when Galvatron arrives and thinks back to the past... when he was part of the crew of a ship called the Ark and out in space exploring. They encountered the Anomaly/nothingness back then and Galvatron decides that rather then study it or let it stop them, he would take them inside it, to learn it's secrets. In the present, he kills Leadfoot and the other Autobots attack him. He manages to incapacitate them all--he was ordered to kill all of them but decides he will not bother. Later, he returns to the cave and tells the others he has succeeded--he has brought the body of Thunderwing!

Comments: Easily the best comic of the ones reviewed this time around. Finally, we get some answers--about what the cave from Nightbeat's story is as well as what happened to the original Ark and it's crew. Galvatron makes reference to serving a "He" but not specifically what that person is (hopefully not Unicron for a change). The art and story work very well here and I look forward to finding out more yet...

Final Verdict: Highly Recommended.

Transmasters Magazine Issue 4 has arrived! Yippie

First thing's first, I have to retract something I posted in the last comic. Johan Piest will still feature his War Log comic in the Transmasters Comic. Yea, I bow to Backbreaker's superiority and skill!

On to the Magazine:
http://merwin.freeservers.com/tmmag4/index.html
please let me know if you are having difficulties. Some people stated they had their virus checker go nuts on freeserver's pop-up ads. This will probably be the last item posted there,
but I'll mirror it elsewhere if you still have problems. Thanks.

Hmm...let's see, if I count August, there's 5 more months in this year. I'd like to see at least one more comic issue and magazine issue out before the year's end. What say you folks? I know that I will have to probably get another job soon, say in less than 2 weeks. New jobs are a bit of a hastle and will more than likely occupy a bunch of my time so definitely not within August. I'm going to just punch out a date for when I'd like to publish the next comic and pray I make it. Let's try for October 31 for issue 5 of the comic and then November 30 for issue 5 of the Magazine. Maybe a small quickie "special" holiday themed comic December15-22?

Let me know what you think both about the above schedule and this issue. I have the first chapter of the Classics story in draft mode already. Well, everyone take care and stay safe. (If not, at least have fun when you get into trouble, hey, hey.)

Warlog Volume 2 Issue 01

I have to say...finally.
Warlog is back !
as it's waaaaaaaaaaay past my bedtime and I have things to pack because holiday starts tommorrow(yeah !), I'll keep it short.
First issue ! 11 Pages ! Color ! CBR format !
Next issue 10 October 2007 !
Download here
Warlog_V2_01.cbr

if possible....let me know what you think.

greetings and sleep well
Backbreaker