I hear they're not the only nostalgia property that might be moving. The latest rumour is that "Transformers" may be passing from Dreamwave's capable hands to Devil's Due at Image.
Is this merely speculation based on the above "Transformers/G.I. Joe" story? Well not quite. But then, neither is it as set in stone as some would have you believe.
"Transformers/G.I. Joe" is a joint venture between Devil's Due/Image and Dreamwave, where each publish a limited series.
The rumour goes that Devil's Due may be hungry for more. That Hasbro have looked favourably over their handling of "G.I. Joe." That this might also smooth over contractual problems regarding Hasbro's deals with Marvel over a "G.I. Joe/X-men" crossover that Marvel were producing. And that Hasbro have been unhappy with Dreamwave over late-shipping, unnecessary changes to characters and darker storylines that could damage toy sales, creative team changes, and falling sales.
And then there were the problems with the Profiles books that radically changed Transformers continuity, introduced sexual reproduction through the "creation matrix," gave Transformers children, proper names rather than codes, made some male characters female and some females male, and Hasbro weren't too pleased.
Dreamwave will be using its in-house writers, Chris Sarracini and 'Brad Mick' to finish the last half of the profiles after Destination entertainment were dropped. Simon Furman, named as being involved in the project, is not.
Certainly, the initial sales on the books were astronomical, but they haven't kept up. The rumour says that "Armada" will conclude on issue 18 because of sales, and this will spell the end for the Dreamwave Transformers licence.
The rumour concludes that the "Transformers/G.I. Joe" mini-series is a "test-run" to see how well Devil's Due can handle the robots in disguise, with the licensing of the Energon Crisis "Transformers" line being the first title that would be published - already Dreamwave are no longer doing the toy box and mini-comics for this upcoming toy line. And that Pat Lee is currently more involved in reviving "Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles," now that Transformers sales have fallen away.
That's the rumour. What's the reality? Josh Blaylock at Devil's Due gave a stong "no comment," and Dreamwave were also not forthcoming.
However, I'm led to understand that Dreamwave does not believe the property will leave them. That their sales still tower over Devil's Due, and that Dreamwave and Hasbro are on such good terms over other upcoming licenses that they don't believe that relationship would be put in jeopardy. Indeed, Hasbro have already confirmed their happiness with Dreamwave over what they've been producing - and that tardiness was last year's problem.
Oh and Brad Mick is definitely not Pat Lee. People have seen them in the same room at the same time. As for concerns over characters dying in the series, I've been reminded that there's never really been definite deaths in the Transformers universe - after all, they're robots, they can be rebuilt, and bloody Optimus Prime has snuffed it many a time.
As for sales on "Armada" being down, that's a correction of the market, initial issues being over ordered due to the exceptionally strong nostalgia for the previous specific "Generation One Transformers" incarnation. It's still a great seller. "Armada" will go away and be replaced by the next transformers line - as is Hasbro's way.
Dreamwave seem to own up to internal problems over the "Profiles" books, but they don't see this as a major problem. And rather than being "Turtle" obsessed, Pat Lee is still working on "Transformers," with his new series coming out in April. Indeed, the new series of Transformers has already hit sales comparable to the first series of the last Generation 1 Pat Lee series. As has the Holofoil, and the More Than Meets The Eye series. Dreamwave expect the books to be back in the top ten when the charts are released.
As for the box art and mini-comics no longer being produced by Dreamwave, that's down to Dreamwave no longer over committing their Transformers artists - which may well have caused the earlier delays on the title.
But I get the feeling this is something Devil's Due are certainly pursuing.
Devil's Due getting TF license? (and more problems from Dreamwave)
- Bombshell
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Devil's Due getting TF license? (and more problems from Dreamwave)
Originally posted Comicbookresources.com
- BigMaki
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This is the part that worries me...
And that Hasbro have been unhappy with Dreamwave over late-shipping, unnecessary changes to characters and darker storylines that could damage toy sales, creative team changes, and falling sales.
Hmmm, darker storylines = War Within? Something tells me that Furman won't be making the journey over to Devil's Due if this happens. Damn corporate muckety-mucks at Hasbro...
And that Hasbro have been unhappy with Dreamwave over late-shipping, unnecessary changes to characters and darker storylines that could damage toy sales, creative team changes, and falling sales.
Hmmm, darker storylines = War Within? Something tells me that Furman won't be making the journey over to Devil's Due if this happens. Damn corporate muckety-mucks at Hasbro...
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Originally posted by Ozz
Yeah, like BigMaki pointed, this'd be very bad. It would mean than instead of cool comics we get a crappy cartoon-like stories.
Can someone enlighten me, how good (if good) is Devil's Due G.I.Joe series?
Only necessarily for Armada, which sod all of you read anyway. And G1 was dark in the same kind of way nu-metal is. Devil's Due are part of Image, aren't they? If they are and I'm right, that means DD can afford to make more 'fan' books like TFWW as the bigger selling Image titles will help out overall, similar to the way Marvel can keep poor-selling titles with a loyal hardcore fanbase going. Without Transformers, Dreamwave would have nothing, and could well disappear.
Devil's Due G. I. Joe series is fantastic, just what DW TF should have been. I don't think they can refer to the Marvel run, but they don't go out and openly piss on it in the name of third-rate emotional scenes.
Oh, and More Than Meets the Eye sounds like conclusive proof that DW share personality traits with Death of the Discworld...
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The new G.I. Joe comic book is what made me love 80's multimedia properties. now, if you get Josh Baylock behind an Image Transformer's comic, it would rock. his stories are entertaining to older fans without being being to dark.
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Re: Devil's Due getting TF license? (and more problems from Dreamwave)
And then there were the problems with the Profiles books that radically changed Transformers continuity, introduced sexual reproduction through the "creation matrix," gave Transformers children, proper names rather than codes, made some male characters female and some females male, and Hasbro weren't too pleased.
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like who?
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like who?
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Originally posted by Lord Zarak
I think it would come down to this: Would they do a better job than Dreamwave? If so, is it a bad thing if the license changes hands?
Probably. And I see no problems whatsoever - for a start, Furman at least is freelance, so there's no reason he couldn't follow the title. That said, however much I like Furman, it'd be really nice if there were some other decent writers out there who could do Transformers.
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Lets remember it is a RUMOR and rumors have known to be false.
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