New UK Transformers comic | UPDATE: interview, details from SF blog

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Denyer
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New UK Transformers comic (!?)

Post by Denyer »

http://transfans.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6341
Hi there. My name is Steve White. I'm going to be editing the new TF comic in the UK, due out from Titan in July to coincide with the movie release. We're working pretty far ahead and what I was hoping for was readers letters/artwork that we can run in the first couple of issues, which will be wrapped before the first one actually hits the streets. Any help gratefully received. Email me at steve.white@titanemail.com
Part reprint, part original material.
The comic will be mostly movie continuity, serialising the IDW prequel material. However, we will be originating our 10-page strips, written by Si Furman. We have various artists lined up; first issue should see the return of Geoff Senior whose keen to have a go for old time's sake. That's TBC but looks pretty solid.
Wow.

Seems to be legit -- that is the domain Titan Books use for contact, and it's the same one connected to the account.

edit:

Interview with Steve White --

http://seibertron.com/people/interviews ... view_id=33

edit:

Blog entry from Simon Furman --

http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2007/0 ... ript-wrap/
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slartibartfast
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Post by slartibartfast »

:eek: -excellent news !


erm... that's all i can think of saying, sorry. I'll try and be more constructive once the shock passes.
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Osku
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Post by Osku »

Not quite sure what to think. Nice to have more material, but sadly I've already preordered IDW's US version. Not eager to buy the same material twice. Not exactly glad it's based on movie continuity either.

Geoff Senior's art is a big appeal though. :\
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

I suspect I'll follow the IDW prequel subscription I've got, then eBay or trade those and pick up the UK comic.

There's a bit more info in that thread now if people feel like reading it through.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Osku


Geoff Senior's art is a big appeal though. :\


You saw his Armada cover, yeh? I'd rather have him onboard than Wildman (unless, of course, Baskers was involved). I'd much rather have some different artists, though, rather than a bunch of tired old farts trading on previous reputations - Senior I admire, because he's largely kept out of cashing in at the expense of his reputation. A different writer, rather than the one overworked bloke doing the whole line, would be fun, but I appreciate the talent pool for the budget is small.

Nah, seriously, even with my cynicism (especially with the state of the UK comic industry these days... wonder if Steve White will have stopped being the preachy cock he was when editing KotP) I'm bouncing off the ****ing wall. This is so going on all my fixtures at work. Every single one.

EDIT'd so it's in English :s
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Clogs
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Post by Clogs »

Interesting. Very interesting. We're about due something new and unique for Blighty to tie in with the movie release and this is a most attractive proposition.
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

And of course, with this presumiably being an ongoing comic, they'll very rapidly run out of IDW Movie material to use (even assuming they do the adaption as well, and that IDW do other mini's set in the Movieverse at some point), so we could very quickly be looking at a wholey UK originated comic. Hell, if the Movie really takes off Panini could wind up doing the New Avengers crossover in Mighty World of MArvel or somesuch.

Or the whole thing bombs and dies a death, but a guy can dream...
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Those magazine-format comics don't tend to last a very long time on average, I gather. If they're planning to reprint an issue a time plus ten extra pages of story, yes, I think we could end up with nice things after issue eight.

If they're going to try to stretch it to sixteen, doubtful. It's a long time between films even if the thing does well.
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

SW:

A few titbits of interest. Andy Wildman and Nick Roche have joined the artist ranks.

Also, the first free gift (if that's your thang) will be TF dogtags - Autobot and Decepticon. FYI, first issue goes on sale 19th July.

Had a truly massive (and surprisingly) international response to my posting, which I'm very pleased about. Anybody sending in art or letters to my email address - can you mark it FAN ART please.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Titan seem to be trying to do more in the way of comic publishing, they recently snatched the Batman reprint rights from Panini. So if nothing else it should have some wight behind it if it's being pushed as the first part of a comics empire (as opposed to their more usual cut and paste TV tie in Magazines).

Thinking about it, I'd say the cheapest/most likely option for post Prequel/Adaption issues is that they keep the homegrown matterial set in the Movie Universe but fill the rest of the issue with other IDW stuff (presented as a Tales From the Worlds of Transformers! sortta thing perhaps). Certainly if they think there's an older market reading some of the G1esque stuff would be a safe bet.

EDIT: Hopefully Wildman will put some more effort in this time. And Nick Roche! Horah!
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Post by StoneCold Skywarp »

Yay, a reason to go into Smiths at last... :glance:

What? I can't see this being available as a 'proper' comic book in a 'proper' comic book store.

Call me a pessimist.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Well, ignoring the fact the both Nostalgia and Comics and Forbiden Planet in Brum have a shelf given over to the panini reprints of Marvel stuff anyway- What's so bad about having a Transformers comic avaliable from all good newsagents nationwide?
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Originally posted by StoneCold Skywarp
What? I can't see this being available as a 'proper' comic book in a 'proper' comic book store.
They'll already have sold the movie prequel and be onto selling the movie adaptation (plus trades that are also timed to accompany the film) so I doubt they'd want to, really...

Plus comics stores generally don't give a toss about attracting another generation of readers.
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Post by Shockmeister »

Originally posted by Denyer
Also, the first free gift (if that's your thang) will be TF dogtags - Autobot and Decepticon.

I'm sold.
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Good news, everyone! [/Farnsworth]
SW:

FYI, Geoff is now confirmed for issue 1 - don't worry, I'll be leaning on him, although he is very excited, well, excited enough to come out of comics retirement...

We're also pushing worldwide subscriptions on this title - we have it on a lot of Titan titles and I think this one is just begging for it.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Originally posted by Denyer
Plus comics stores generally don't give a toss about attracting another generation of readers.


Only big places bother with stuff avaliable in newsagents... there's not as much to gain. Plus, as you say, it'll be competing with back-issues and the like. Some big comic stores do stock standard newstand stock, but not many - they'd have to set up an account with a wholesaler and the like, which probably isn't profitable for a fistful of titles that are freely avaliable elsewhere - especially seeing as people are likely to go "Oooooh" to something like that on the shelves of Smiths, but have a much wider choice in an FP.

Well, much wider is obviously a bit of an exaggeration, depending on whether you live near a decent FP, or an FP run by a bunch of idiots who think they're Tim Bisley.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Any word on how IDW are planing to treat the new stuff? Obviously Furman won't be contradicting himself (well, I say obviously, he has form, but lets assume for the moment...) whilst writing both, but do they regard a comic printed by another company that presumiably- if Titan are offering worldwide subscriptions- they won't be reprinting themselves as part of the canon?

Here's betting the first issue shows the battle at Simfur anyway (just between Andman, Geoior and Patleeyouwankerwheresmywarwithin3money).
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Interview. Good read, some stuff about Marvel UK and process:

http://seibertron.com/people/interviews ... view_id=33
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Post by Clogs »

Cheers, Denyer. Yes - a good read and some interesting snippets. I do so want one of those Decepti-dogtags, but it looks like I'll be fighting the sprogs for it! The only thing not mentioned was the timeframe, but I guess we're looking post-movie release.
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

So we've got at least six issues of new stuff comisioned so far, that'll take us half way through the Movie adaption, assuming each IDW issue is reprinted in full and that it lasts that long.
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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