B.O.T.S. foto's

Pictures of the Bots convention are somewhere in the middle.
click on foto's and then scroll down is my advice.

HERE's ME !!!



and a few more from TFW2005


Gr johan

B.O.T.S. Convention Holland

I was there also Sunday afternoon with Olaf, Daniel and my girlfriend.
We left from Zwolle and arrived at around 1 o'clock I think. Immediatly after entering the building I registered for the "Jumpstarter Challenge", and after that we tried to fill out this years quiz. After all, some of us remembered the difficult questions from a few years back but during the task we noticed that it got somewhat easier.

Time for the first runaround ! After a quick look at the TFAnimated toys that were put in glass housing for viewing only we walked on and found stuff where I was looking for, Marvel UK G1 comics, first I found No 59 and a little later it was joined by No 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 243 ! :D
By now I was thinking....Ready ! Finished !....but ofcourse I kept looking and searching.

Further on my list was Mega Octane vfrom the RID line, but didn't come across the toy and I wanted to buy some Animated stuff !!(after paying offcourse....)
Then my girlfriend had a queastion:" don't they have that rabiit ? what's his name again ?" "Euh hmmm Stampy right ?" and sure enough a little later we found that one, her first Transformer !

After a short break involving fries and kroket(dutch snack) the time came to participate in the Jumpstarter challenge, with a 'whopping' 5 people involved, anyway I came in second with my very vintage TopSpin !! I was very pleased with my TFMovie Robot Replica Bumblebee and will defend my second place next year.

After another round I bought an Encore Jazz/Meister and after a few more rounds of walking and doubt an Encore Starscream joined him ! My girlfriend bought an Animated Bumblebee because she thought it was cute !

Conclusion: a great improvement comparing to next year !
More space, which made the temperature bearable !
Also nice was the special place for smaller kids, just say the "next generation" of fans showing in that corner the ditch version of TFArmada !
More dealers ! Too bad the Drawing and Kitbash competions were cancelled but I had a really good time and it was nice to see the faces behind the names/websites, which makes it even more fun !

see you next year !

Johan

Additional photo and video will follow !
official Dutch convention site
...and yes, then I will wear my Deaths Head II T-Shirt again.....

Well, I may not know when I'll post some new stuff

It's been a bit crazy lately. I finally decided that if I did not try to go back to college now I'd never do so. So now besides the crazy job that seems to have no end of work in sight...I'm also now a full time student through University of Phoenix Online, going for my Bachelor's in CIS/Visual Media. These classes are real fast, one per 5 weeks. It's going to be fun trying to squeeze everything out in the few free moments. I really did intend to try to get another comic issue done, really.

BTW, Tony B. sent me another two boxes of medias from the Archive. So, perhaps if I get some free time we might actually get an expanded version of the Archive CD out sometime...I had some complaints on the last one, some wanted .pdf versions rather than the .gif and .jpg files I used. The thing is some of these are suffering from toner wear/degradation and I was sometimes doing some brushups in painting programs. What do you think?

I've actually come to sort of like the new TF Animated. I like the little G1 easter eggs they've been dropping and enjoyed seeing Spike, Carly and Daniel even if they are not main characters. I get a kick out of some of the jokes and mild physical humor. I think they actually made Prowl cool and I liked Jazz's portrail. I was not crazy about the Ultra Magnus -Thor routine. Sentinel Prime's a punk. Elita One becoming Blackarachnia was a bit of a twist and I have to wonder how that will play out. Sadly the shows have not made me want to pick up this toy line, I think the Universe (Classics 2.0) will hold more for my money interest wise.

Well, if I can squeeze it out I'll try to post something soon. Take care all.

Warlog Volume 2 issue 4 Cover Online

Hi !
It has taken me more time than I had in mind but I finally have new material online.

I was inspired by the Marvel Transformers US comic 73 since this chapter also has humans in it. You may consider this a Homage.

In 2008 I will try to expand my "skills" , think of drawing human anatomy and new way of coloring. well I try!

The rest of the comic will follow shortly !

see cover here

Greets Johan

btw, nice articles, Tony ! always a joy to read !

Comic Reviews...

Transformers Spotlight
Grimlock

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Marcelo Matere

(cover by Marcelo Matere)

Synopsis: Skywatch switches on Grimlock, despite the warnings by one of it's scientists to his boss that the process just isn't ready... Predictably, Grimlock goes haywire and escapes into the world... we learn that it's due to a Cybertronian virus The Machination put into play to ensure Skywatch would lose control. Grimlock wanders around wondering where he is and what's going on. Scorponok beams in then and offers him an alliance. Grimlock refuses and the two fight. Scorpy gets the upper hand and Grimlock uses his last trick--trying to beam up to his old ship. It succeeds--the ship still exists somewhere on the surface and he arrives safe and sound. Meanwhile, Scorponok tells his men to ready the other Dinobots--they will be used as instruments to destroy Grimlock!

Comments: Reads like a set-up for the Maximum Dinobots storyline more then as a solo character spotlight story. I guess there is that aspect where he awakens alone and confused in a new setting but it's quickly overshadowed by Scorponok and all the scheming for the future. An okay tale but does deviate from the character spotlight aspect pretty fast.

Mildly recommended.

***********



Transformers Timelines
Shattered Glass

Writer: Ben Yee and Peter Sinclair (story)
Artist: Don Figueroa

(cover by Dan Khanna)

Synopsis: Classics Cliffjumper arrives in a dark tunnel somewhere. He's tackled by Crankcase, who is quickly put down by a dark colored Rodimus. He takes Cliffjumper back to the Autobot headquarters where everything is dark and twisted--the Autobots act all evil! Cliffjumper is freaked out, objects and Prime hauls off and shoots him. They dump his lifeless body in the Rad Zone, where the Decepticons find him. CJ is revived by the Constructicons. There, is greeted by Megatron and Sideswipe. Sideswipe surmises Cliffjumper is from another universe and explains this world's history to him--how it was Optimus Prime who rose to power and became evil and how it was Megatron and his resistance fighters who tried to stop him. Prime's current scheme is to launch a large vessel called The Ark and go conquer the universe with it... Megatron's determined to stop him and with Starscream, they devise a plan to destroy the ship's launch pad, thus crippling Prime's plan. The Decepticons attack the Autobots and CJ joins them, since he's philosophically on their side anyway. During the battle, Megatron takes a blast from Optimus intended for Cliffjumper (who was thinking how everything is different here, etc). CJ takes the initiative and uses his Glass Gas to finish off the Ark's launch pad and win the day for the Decepticons. It is a major victory and the Decepticons retreat while Prime screams they will pay for their resistance, blah, blah... CJ is glad he's picked the right side.

Comments: Another story that sells the toy set very well. However, this time the use of a non-toy set character (Cliffjumper) gives the story a little more steam then they normally have (plus CJ's always been a fav of mine). The story is simple enough in context but it works and entertains. I am a bit unimpressed by using the cheesy old Mirror Universe schtick here but it works well enough for the story. The art is pretty good and there aren't any frames where I wasn't sure what was going on (unlike what happens with IDW sometimes).


Recommended.

BotCon 08 report!

The time has come...

The words have been written...

The images, posted...


The 2008 BotCon report is here:

www.karmicsalt.com/bc08report.htm

The pictures are here:

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/tkthunder/botcon%202008/

(there are three separate albums to choose from there. The links are on the left).

Enjoy!
Thunder

Hi-ho! Hi-ho! Off to BotCon we go!

I'm writing this from Cincinnati, OH. Home of BotCon 2008! :D Hope to have a FUN week here, take LOTS of pictures and eventually do up my report of the goings-on here. Stayed tuned, my fellow Autobots/Decepticons/Maximals/Preds! :)


Thunder

BOP--once more and with feeling!

Balance of Power #35 is finally done and now available! I'd intended to have it done in January, but sadly it never happened (better late then never, right? :)

The FINAL issue of BOP is 35 pages (ironically) and contains a dual-cover inside, as well color artwork by myself and three b/w pics from Peter Phelps. It still costs only $3/issue for those who want the physical issue. Email me at tkphoton@hotmail.com to get a copy!

I will have BOP #34's stories posted to my website some time this weekend...








The future... Now that BOP is over, I hope to start work on a TF comic project I've been mulling over for the last few months. I'll even set a tentative release date now--July 1st (watch it be six months later now! ;-)

- Thunder

Warlog will be late

Actually the next issue will be later in the month of april due to personal loss.
This was before I finished the entry for the PlayAtHome round over at the IDW forums, however the art for the TMcomic will also suffer because of this and as a result will be late
.
sorry for any incovenience this may have caused.

with regards,
Johan.

Comic Review...

Transformers Devastation #6

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: E.J. Su

(covers by E.J Su and Nick Roche)

Summary: In the Machination's Headquarters, Scorponok and his new human Headmaster bond and go to attack Hunter and Sunstreaker. Elsewhere, Megatron and his Decepticons attack the Reapers. Despite some success, they lose Runamuck and Runabout... nearby, Galvatron watches from a hidden place and decides he must intervene to ensure the Decepticons triumph. Hot Rod defeats the Sunstreaker clones and is approached by Hardhead, who tells him they're leaving. Hot Rod tells him he's staying to find out just what's going on with Sunstreaker and these Headmasters--Hardhead relents and let's him stay. Elsewhere, Nightbeat stumbles onto a new mystery and decides to leave the Autobots to investigate it... Sunstreaker and Hunter finally merge and then escape Scorponok before he can destroy them. With the Reapers, Galvatron uses his evil/death virus and infects one of the Reapers, who then promptly goes on to infect others. The Decepticons use their distraction to destroy their ship and finish them off. Galvatron thinks how one apocalypse is averted and another begun--as he looks at Sixshot's fallen form. Epilogue: Nemesis Prime (aka Nova Prime) and Jhiaxus scheme with Galvatron about some evil plan they have! MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HAH!

Comments: Another chapter of the story ends on a ho-hum note. It's not that this issue was bad or anything but I feel like the story's been unfolding at a snail's pace in some ways. Did we really need so many issues just so Hunter could finally merge with Sunstreaker? Or so Hot Rod could casually knock out the Sunstreaker clones in about two panels? I understand this story's decompressed so they can do more TPBs but it wouldn't hurt for Furman to wrap some of these minor plot points off and continue the main story instead of dragging them on forever in a lame attempt at suspense (especially when the pay-off isn't worth it). I got Su's lovely cover art for this issue (Roche's last two covers have been uninspired, imo).

Mildly recommended.

***

Transformers Spotlight
Mirage

Writer: George Strayton
Artist: Guido Guidi

(cover by Guido Guidi)

Summary: Mirage thinks about the dream and how it's always the same... Hound looks on as he's dying. Mirage is a Decepticon and aboard his space ship. He talks with Megatron and tells them how he can deliver him the last remaining Autobots--for a price. Megatron reluctantly agrees to give him a share of their Energon mining operations. Elsewhere, Prime and Hound look on and wonder about this Zodiac Energy they've discovered and if they can use it as a new energy source. Hound explains it's not so easy as the energy is out of phase with their reality slightly. Meanwhile, Jetfire's hurt bad and needs immediate medical attention (the exact cause of his injuries goes unexplained). Bumblebee returns and then promptly attacks them--he is revealed to be Mirage in disguise! He leads other Decepticons aboard their ship and they have a major fight. Finally, Mirage puts a gun to the helpless Jetfire's head and tells Prime to surrender or he'll kill him. Prime surrenders and Mirage promises them their safety in return... but when he contacts Megatron, he is promptly ordered to kill them. He goes to kill Hound and Prime tries to reason with him. When that fails, he attacks Mirage and knocks him into the Zodiac Energy chamber... Mirage awakens from CR and thinks about his dream and how it's always the same--but in it he's a Decepticon. Fortunately, it's just a dream...

Comments: Okay, if I understand this story... Mirage was once a Decepticon and then through the events of this story, was changed into an Autobot (presumably with his consent). At least, I think that's what it's about... honestly, the presentation isn't very good. It's too vague and not clear enough. I also have no idea when the events of this story fit into the IDW continuity exactly either. I've never heard of George Strayton before--not certain if he's a pro or a fan writer but either way his story needed a little more clarity to it. The inclusion of Zodiac Energy seems like a bit of fan wank too (it has very little bearing on the story overall--it could've easily been a power conduit/something that Mirage strikes instead). I also feel like this issue, while giving us a story with Mirage, failed to really spotlight his personality. Who is he? Why does he sympathize with the Autobots? Why does Prime seem to have so much faith in him? None of this is explained... He's presented as a generic Decepticon until he's apparently saved by the Autobots and becomes one--but we don't see any reason in his personality why they'd bother (okay, so he offers to spare their lives--but promptly takes it back when it threatens his interests). Ultimately, I found this story both confusing and irrelevant.

Pass.