One of our most frequent requests is to see a script from one of our books. And the lucky person who recognized the artist of the cover for TF Animated: The Arrival #1 won the entire script for that issue signed by the artist, Marcelo Matere, and the writer, Marty Isenberg. Though lonegamer8 of the Allspark boards gets the whole shebang, you, my loyal readers, get a peek at the first page.
Special thanks to Marty and Marcelo!
TRANSFORMERS: ANIMATED #1
“Dispatches” (22-page story)
Written by: Marty Isenberg
2/13/08
PAGE ONE (3)
1.1: A big CLOSE-UP OF THE ALLSPARK CONTAINMENT CHAMBER, as seen from the cargo bay monitor image Optimus displayed for Sentinel and Ultra Magnus in the pilot movie. Alongside the image are the following specs:
IDENTIFICATION: AllSpark
AFFILIATION: Unknown
FUNCTION: Life Source
LAST KNOWN LOCATION: Classified
Within this panel is a SUB-PANEL IMAGE (like a smaller window within a larger window on a computer screen) of OPTIMUS PRIME (Cybertron Robot Mode). This would be the image Sentinel and Ultra Magnus saw when Optimus contacted them. It could be a simple closeup head shot, or possibly include some of the other Autobots on the bridge of their ship in the b.g. Alongside the image of Prime are the following specs:
IDENTIFICATION: Optimus Prime
AFFILIATION: Autobot
FUNCTION: Space Bridge Repair Crew Commander
TRAINING: Autobot Academy *
* completed training; did not graduate
1. ULTRA MAGNUS CAPTION:
“Here’s what we’ve been able to piece together so far…
2. ULTRA MAGNUS CAPTION:
“Approximately 24 megacycles ago, we received this transmission from Optimus Prime and his space bridge repair crew, somewhere within the Azazel Asteroid Belt…”
3. ULTRA MAGNUS CAPTION:
“I don’t believe I need to brief anyone here on the significance of their cargo…
1.2: A schematic image of the DECEPTICON WARSHIP (aka “The Nemesis”). Perhaps various alien writing “specs” can appear alongside the image as well.
4. ULTRA MAGNUS CAPTION:
“Not long after, we began tracking a signal from a Decepticon warship. THIS Decepticon warship.”
1.3: A CLOSE-UP HEADSHOT of MEGATRON (Cybertron Robot Mode). This should have a “file photo” look to it (and perhaps should even say “FILE IMAGE” somewhere). Also include the following stats alongside the image:
IDENTIFICATION: Megatron
AFFILIATION: Decepticon
FUNCTION: Decepticon Leader
STATUS: Exiled
THREAT LEVEL: ***EXTREMELY DANGEROUS***
5. ULTRA MAGNUS CAPTION:
“I don’t believe I need to brief anyone here on the significance of its commander…”
The ramblings of IDW editor Denton J. Tipton.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Animated contest
Here's one of the covers for our all-new and original TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED miniseries, written by the show's head writer, Marty Isenberg. A neat prize goes to the first fan who guesses the cover artist correctly.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Glimpse into the Future
I'm busy, busy, busy prepping for BotCon 2008, so I'll be keeping it brief this week. Here is Guido Guidi's concept sketch for his cover of All Hail Megatron #2. Hopefully, I will be able to unveil the finished cover at BotCon.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Me Want Preview!
Everyone seems to be a fan of the ol' five-page preview. Spotlight: Grimlock, which arrives in stores April 23, gets the love this time around:
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Kris Carter, Warlord of Cybertron
You'll already seen E.J. Su's fine line work from Spotlight: Cyclonus at Ryall Time, so here's how it looks after Kris Carter applied his magic crayons:
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Two Sides to Every Story
Artists get most of the love, but without the writer, there'd be no story. So here's an excerpt of Shane McCarthy's pitch for All Hail Megatron taken from Focus On: Decepticons, which arrives in stores tomorrow!
Just how bad can it get?
The measure of any hero is the obstacles he faces or the villains he must vanquish. If a hero's villains are weak or ineffectual, then the hero, by the most rudimentary of logic, mustn't be all that powerful or indeed heroic. If we're going to see what our heroes are truly made of, we need to deliver a villain (or, in this case, villains) who push the heroes to the breaking point and beyond, that not only challenge them physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.
With the Transformers, we have at our disposal some of the greatest villains ever to grace modern-day pop culture. These guys are, apparently, the nastiest of the nasty; what is Megatron if not a 60-foot-tall metal tyrant with a nuclear cannon strapped to one arm? So, let's take the gloves off, unhook the leash and see just what the Decepticons are made of.
If we're going to understand the validity of the Autobots as protectors, it's about time we say what would happen if the Decepticons were left unchecked!
So what are we really trying to do here?
We'll be bringing a “real world” approach to the book to show the ramifications of the Transformers' civil war on our planet. It will also be the goal of the series to better explain, reveal and expose the characterization of the individual Transformers and their respective ideologies.
In the end, execution is everything, and we'll be achieving all of this by using a wild, widescreen-style approach. Each issue will slam the reader in the face with exciting visuals and continuing reasons to come running back each and every month. More than anything, we need to restore the awe and majesty to the Transformers and remind people not only of their continuing relevance as fictional characters, but of the very reason we fell in love with them to begin with.
Nothing can top the sheer spectacle of giant robots battling it out on our planet for the sake of the universe!
Just how bad can it get?
The measure of any hero is the obstacles he faces or the villains he must vanquish. If a hero's villains are weak or ineffectual, then the hero, by the most rudimentary of logic, mustn't be all that powerful or indeed heroic. If we're going to see what our heroes are truly made of, we need to deliver a villain (or, in this case, villains) who push the heroes to the breaking point and beyond, that not only challenge them physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.
With the Transformers, we have at our disposal some of the greatest villains ever to grace modern-day pop culture. These guys are, apparently, the nastiest of the nasty; what is Megatron if not a 60-foot-tall metal tyrant with a nuclear cannon strapped to one arm? So, let's take the gloves off, unhook the leash and see just what the Decepticons are made of.
If we're going to understand the validity of the Autobots as protectors, it's about time we say what would happen if the Decepticons were left unchecked!
So what are we really trying to do here?
We'll be bringing a “real world” approach to the book to show the ramifications of the Transformers' civil war on our planet. It will also be the goal of the series to better explain, reveal and expose the characterization of the individual Transformers and their respective ideologies.
In the end, execution is everything, and we'll be achieving all of this by using a wild, widescreen-style approach. Each issue will slam the reader in the face with exciting visuals and continuing reasons to come running back each and every month. More than anything, we need to restore the awe and majesty to the Transformers and remind people not only of their continuing relevance as fictional characters, but of the very reason we fell in love with them to begin with.
Nothing can top the sheer spectacle of giant robots battling it out on our planet for the sake of the universe!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Bang Your (Hard)Head!
Here's a nifty page for all those "Hardheaded" fans out there. From Spotlight: Hardhead by all-around nice guy Nick Roche, who is the artist on this book, not Robby Musso as stated in the solicitation from Diamond.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Cool your Jets
Wow. Seems whenever Starscream shows up, strife follows.
So lets try to melt some icy hearts with a cool island song... with Wheelie on vocals and accompaniment by Klaus Scherwinksi:
So lets try to melt some icy hearts with a cool island song... with Wheelie on vocals and accompaniment by Klaus Scherwinksi:
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Rain of Starscream Part Deux
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Rain of Starscream
Starscream is not only starring in his own movie-based miniseries, but he also plays a prominent role in All Hail Megatron.
Here, he and fellow Seekers, Thundercracker and Skywarp, rain down some terror in Times Square. Courtesy of Guido Guidi and Josh Burcham.
Here, he and fellow Seekers, Thundercracker and Skywarp, rain down some terror in Times Square. Courtesy of Guido Guidi and Josh Burcham.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Secret Final Crisis Invasion
Why should the Big Boys have all the fun?
This is what Chris Ryall must've been thinking when Shane McCarthy gave his Transformers pitch. The Aussie's story is epic, intriguing, action-packed... and it has a point.
Well, they took the ball and ran with it, and now I'm coming off the bench. I'm the new editor at IDW, and I've been tapped to oversee the TF titles. And this one has me extremely excited because it's a great jumping-on point for a new editor -- and also for new readers.
Marvel and DC have found great success with their event books, but there's one thing that none of them have: tons of big robots from the planet Cybertron kicking ass.
The Civil War is over, and it's One Year Later.
Welcome to Transformers: All Hail Megatron.
This is what Chris Ryall must've been thinking when Shane McCarthy gave his Transformers pitch. The Aussie's story is epic, intriguing, action-packed... and it has a point.
Well, they took the ball and ran with it, and now I'm coming off the bench. I'm the new editor at IDW, and I've been tapped to oversee the TF titles. And this one has me extremely excited because it's a great jumping-on point for a new editor -- and also for new readers.
Marvel and DC have found great success with their event books, but there's one thing that none of them have: tons of big robots from the planet Cybertron kicking ass.
The Civil War is over, and it's One Year Later.
Welcome to Transformers: All Hail Megatron.
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