CraveOnline interviews Transformers comic writer James Roberts

Post by **zigzagger** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:46 am

Crave Online has recently posted an interview with Transformers comic scribe, James Roberts.

Offers a little insight on Roberts' thought process while writing More than Meets the Eye, Last Stand of the Wreckers and Chaos Theory, as well as a few other nifty tidbits and possible future projects.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:29 pm

*Insert Generic Comment About How Much I Love Roberts*.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 4:56 pm

Correct spelling is ":love:Roberts

, so much better than that washed up hack Furman, who I never liked even at the time"

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:07 pm

You've decided to be ahead of the curve on mocking the new stuff then? I was going to wait till issue 3.

Though other than allowing that gag to work, I have to wonder why we have the hearts smiley...

Rack 'n Ruin · Post by **Rack 'n Ruin** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:20 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:You've decided to be ahead of the curve on mocking the new stuff then? I was going to wait till issue 3.

Though other than allowing that gag to work, I have to wonder why we have the hearts smiley...

Gosh, Dalek's soooooooooo dreamy...

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:23 pm

Yes. Yes I am.

Post by **zigzagger** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 5:43 pm

Dalek's dreaminess aside, just a few points of interest...

Goes without saying that I'm happy that the pitch evolved past "Rodimus and Drift set off..." and that we ended up with a much larger and colorful cast. Though, I suppose the earlier pitch would've worked as, say, a buddy-comedy

The 'Dynobots' -- Never really been that huge on them, but I am a little curious what Grimlock's been up to, since last we heard he went nuts on Garrus-9. Would be nice to actually see what became of him. Seems likely the crew of the Lost Light will happen upon him, though, given MTMTE's premise.

I'm still skeptical that RID and MTMTE's casts was/is a result of Barber getting first pick.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 6:22 pm

inflatable dalek wrote:You've decided to be ahead of the curve on mocking the new stuff then?

Not read it, not going to read it; as with Who I've seen a good point to torniquet things off and avoid any further damage to something I loved once - and it's going to take more than praise from the same people who were praising RTD/Furman five years ago to change that. Just amazed people still haven't learnt not to lionise someone after a handful of issues...

Transformers fandom seems to have shifted to this weird position where anything that's just come out gets lauded to high heaven when it's initially released as everyone falls over each other to show how they're not some crusty fanboy jerking off over the G1 cartoon, and then two years later they spit on the same stuff they were praising.

It's an interesting social phenomena, and it makes me seriously consider going to a convention just to stab a few people.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:23 pm

I think that's a tad harsh, it's not aa if Roberts fell out of the sky just before MTMTE one, Wreckers alone pretty much justifies the lionisation and despite its fan fic status the still easy to get hold of Eugenesis seems to be very well loved by most who've read it. He's got good form, and I'm curious as to what he'd have had to do for you to consider the respect he gets justified. How many issues does it take? Because the 8 and a half so far have all been winners.

I do feel a bit sorry for Barber, who made a solid atart with RID but doesn"t stand a chance in the popularity stakes.

And if this strange social phenomena were in effect, wouldn't McCarthy and Costa have been praised from the off as well?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:05 pm

They were by a lot of people, just not here (where McCarthy especially was painted as some sort of monster for causing the sudden ending of Simon's Never-Ending Story as much as for the iffy quality of his own work).

inflatable dalek wrote:He's got good form, and I'm curious as to what he'd have had to do for you to consider the respect he gets justified.

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve the respect, more that the people who are handing it out have bad form for handing it out far too easily and withdrawing it just as quickly.

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:03 am

Cliffjumper wrote:I'm not saying he doesn't deserve the respect, more that the people who are handing it out have bad form for handing it out far too easily and withdrawing it just as quickly.

...you do live in Britain , don't you? This is how it works! You've five minutes to prove you're Jesus before we start throwing tomatoes at you and baying for your blood without much sense of perspective or reason...

I just like James Roberts comics because they take more than five minutes to read (I've still yet to get to ye olde comic shop to pick up my standing order), have a lot going on and are just great reads.

It's so nice to actaully sit and have a comic involve you, rather than as with pretty much most other mainstream comics whereby there's 22 pages of actually not much happening because the damn things are written with an eye on the all important trade paperback.

Roberts comics just stand out so much against the general mediocrity of IDWs output that it's worth some celebration. The obvious worry is that the morons IDW employ as editors will f**k it all up down the line when sales aren't 'good' enough (have they ever been?).

Most importantly, comics are supposed to be fun, and that's what Roberts are. There's a bit of zing and life about them that no other modern writer has come close to.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 2:14 pm

Skyquake87 wrote:Most importantly, comics are supposed to be fun, and that's what Roberts are. There's a bit of zing and life about them that no other modern writer has come close to.

Warren Ellis wants a word. Actually, nextwave and Planetary were probably five years ago now.

For clarity, I should state that I don't think everyone who likes Roberts' work is some muppet who likes what they're told to, and thus far I'd say what I've said doesn't apply to anyone who's responded to this topic, and little of it applies to most of the people who still post here.

IDW would be the main worry - they're going to **** this up big-time at some point. They'll replace Roberts with Chuck "rape and tits" Austen or demand that a crossover with some shit US TV show is worked in or reboot the title because it's not matching DW's sales figures or something. So I'm not getting in another car that's going to crash.

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:27 pm

Planetary wrapped up in 2009, having averaged about three issues a year.

as with Who I've seen a good point to torniquet things off and avoid any further damage to something I loved once

There aren't many things I feel the inclination to re-read or re-watch, but Who has produced at least a handful of books (so there's an affection there) and as far as the TV side goes there's more 11 that's had more than one viewing than anything else so far.

I'm also expecting IDW to **** this up, but odds are it'll get a cleaner wrap up than most TF series and be very enjoyable in the interim. Not really fussed what reactions other people have, and the despoiling of bits of shared universes is something that comes with licensing and more people having the opportunity to play in the sandbox and surprise the audience. Sometimes pleasantly. *shrug*

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 8:23 pm

Cliffjumper wrote: IDW would be the main worry - they're going to **** this up big-time at some point. They'll replace Roberts with Chuck "rape and tits" Austen or demand that a crossover with some shit US TV show is worked in or reboot the title because it's not matching DW's sales figures or something. So I'm not getting in another car that's going to crash.

That's the risk of course, and it's a potentially high one. I can actually see RID being the first one to chuck out out whatever plans they've got, it's the book with the hardest premise to do right and is already a good way behind MTMTE sales wise.