Submissions for Transmasters Magazine, Fall 2010

Transmasters Magazine, Fall 2010 issue will be available on August 10th. I have most of my content for the issue ready (including my long delayed comic story). If anyone out there is interested in submitting any content--be it stories, art, comics, reviews, etc. please send it in soon (by about August 5th at the absolute latest).

Submissions can be sent to tkphoton@hotmail.com

The more people contribute, the better this production will be.

- Thunder

Transformers on Twitter

Comic Review...

(Cover "A" by Don Figueroa)



















Transformers #9

Writer: Mike Costa
Artist: Guido Guidi

(Covers by Guido Guidi and Don Figueroa)

Summary: 'International Incident,' Part 1: After MEGATRON left Earth three years ago, DECEPTICONS all over the globe were left stranded and leaderless. It was only a matter of time before an insane international despot assembled a bunch of them together to serve as a living Weapon of Mass Destruction, setting off the most action-packed TRANSFORMERS storyline in years, with art by fan-favorite Guido Guidi.


Comments: I usually find Guido Guidi's art fairly good--he's not my favorite comic artist or anything but he's competent. This issue, though, felt more cartoony looking for some reason. I'm not sure if it's my imagination or it really does look more "animated" then normal. Or maybe it's because I bought the Figueroa cover and that sub-consciously looks more gritty (even though I didn't care for Figueroa's new style) compared to Guidi's more cartoon style. At any rate, the story is about North Korea and the Combaticons teaming up for conquest. Unlike previous stories I didn't feel any attachment to this issue. The previous stories Costa did (especially the first six or seven) had a sub-text flowing throughout them. It was about the main action but we also got a hint at bigger things going on. Optimus believed they needed humanity's adaptability while Thundercracker was having a crisis of conscience. Hot Rod just wanted to get the hell out of there and so on. This story, by contrast, is straightforward. The North Koreans and Combaticons have teamed up; Skywatch and the Autobots plan to go stop them--but, uh-oh! The U.S. has gone on record now as saying they would never use Cybertronian tech for their own ends. So it has to be a sneaking mission instead! I mean, it's not the worst story ever or anything but it hardly interests me. We've seen this sort of TF story a million times and we all know how it will end already (which is good because this damned thing goes at least three issues!) It reads like someone wanted to write a cartoon script for the old G1 series and got their wish. I don't hate it but I don't like it either. I feel indifferent--and I'm not sure that's a good thing for IDW's profits in the long run. A bored reader will inevitably drop a title they don't care for and I doubt I'm the only one feeling this way. To be blunt, I need this comic to be interesting--just having "Transformers" on the cover is not good enough for me (sadly, it is for some though).

Rating: Neutral.

minor TM site updates...

I updated the Comics section slightly.

- IDW's Wreckers series was incorrectly listed as being four issues (instead of five).

- Added an entry for the Ironhide mini-series.

- Added entries for IDW's two Beast Wars series (which I had somehow overlooked the first time. Maybe because they weren't all the great in the first place and I forgot them? :)

- Added a listing for the Drift mini-series (not sure how long it is. I assume four issues but I'm not certain).


Also, and perhaps most importantly, I decided to try a new website banner out! It's an attempt at adding some more graphic flair to the site (and just doing something new with the banner image). Do you like it? Hate it? Feel indifferent? Let me know!

Thunder

www.transmasters.org

Also, work continues on the next Transmasters issue for August... my comic strip is still behind but several other items are done up already. Contributions are always welcome!

More of My TF Stuff on eBay

I know it's shameless, but I've posted more of my TF stuff, etc on eBay they had a free listing deal this week:

http://shop.ebay.com/transmasterpete/m.html?_nkw&_armrs=1&_from&_ipg=25

Transformers on Flickr

Comic Review...

(Starting with this review I am going to attempt to keep from explaining the entire plot of the issue. I will give a short description instead... this is an attempt to keep from spoiling a certain comic if someone reading this should want to track it down later and read it).



Transformers: Ironhide #3 (of 4)
"Chapter Three: Ironing Out the Details"

Writer: Mike Costa
Artist: Casy Coller

(covers by Casey Coller and Marcelo Matere)


Summary: He's been stranded on a deserted Cybertron, but IRONHIDE is about to meet the only two other functioning AUTOBOTS on the planet. One is an old friend in dire need of help, and the other is a legendary character making his IDW debut. Mike Costa and Casey Coller reveal why exactly IRONHIDE-and his death-were so important to the future of Cybertron.


Comments: A pretty good issue overall. The art is excellent and the story is able to move forward (unlike the main title's snail's pace). Sunstreaker returns this issue too--which is odd since I had thought he'd been totally destroyed (I'm going off memory here. Perhaps I'm wrong). I presume Ironhide's mission in this issue is Metroplex's mysterious purpose from his Spotlight? Or perhaps not... I guess time will tell.


Recommended.















(Cover "A" by Marcelo Matere).

Megatron Fan Art

Megatron fan art by TwitPic.Com/Hydro74