What would you like to see in a TF comic?

[Bartrim]

Hi guys,

I like so many of us here I love reading Transformers comics but although I don't mind te current IDW run I know it has alot of critics. I also note a lot of people like the old Marvel comics which I'm not really a fan of as alot the earlier issues just rushed characters in and out to keep up with the toys being released and it had so truly terrible stories (IMO) like "The Carwash of Doom" (sounds like a bad 80's horror movie), Skullgrin the movie star and the micromaster that was a wrestler (even if he was human sized wouldn't punching metal hurt?). Although Matrix Quest and some other story arcs near the end did make up for it to a certain degree (again this is all strictly my opinion).

So I at the moment am working on my own photo comic series. I am hoping to do something serious with a long running story arc. So I ask you the fans what sort of things (character developments, storylines etc) would you like to see?

[Hursticon]

An alternate reality in where Beast Wars wasn't cut off in it's 3rd season and everyone remained on earth! :D
But if it's to be G1 based, Hmm.. - Maybe, "What if Starscream did honor Unicron's request in re-attaching his head?". :D
(Just a thought :o)

[kup]

Decent writing which allows for a developing story. I like the way Furman, Roche, Bob Forward and Larry DiTillio write in which they have a simple main story which eventually splinters into little subplots which at first seem insignificant but eventually add up to a big finale complementing the deceptively simple main plot.

Like always the characters are the ones that carry the plot forward so they have to be interesting and good dynamics with one another.

[i_amtrunks]

I really liked Furman's "-tion" series, it wasn't always good writing (McGuffins and all) but it was a comic universe with a large scale, where the writer had obviously thought of the plot well in advance and slowly enlarged the story, introducing detailed and three mostly three dimensional characters and places that helped give the universe some background and history.ll

So for me, I like the large over-arching long time story telling to dominate the main line (I suppose that's why I loved Lost), but then on the flip side, I also loved the self contained (but ties into the main story) one shots. Spotlight Kup remains my favourite single issue that IDW TF have produced.

So I would want a G1 based (but not fanwank) with a long overarching plot that unfolds gradually over time, that is largely character based.

[Paulbot]

I have thoughts on what I'd like IDW to do but that's probably different discussion to waht you're asking.

Wouldn't it be a lot of work to do a photo comic with a long ongoing story? That's what I'd like to see but it's very ambitious but look forward to seeing what you do.

The Mosaic style, short stories that focus on particular characters, could be a good example to follow and you could go past their restrictions to have multiple 'page' stories and have them all fit in a larger continutity.

Is there a particular universe you like that you could use a base (so you don't have to layout the universe as a whole)? Obviously G1 would be the most popular but you could choose comic or cartoon or Dreamwave or whatever.

[Bartrim]

I have thoughts on what I'd like IDW to do but that's probably different discussion to waht you're asking.

Wouldn't it be a lot of work to do a photo comic with a long ongoing story? That's what I'd like to see but it's very ambitious but look forward to seeing what you do.

The Mosaic style, short stories that focus on particular characters, could be a good example to follow and you could go past their restrictions to have multiple 'page' stories and have them all fit in a larger continutity.

Is there a particular universe you like that you could use a base (so you don't have to layout the universe as a whole)? Obviously G1 would be the most popular but you could choose comic or cartoon or Dreamwave or whatever.


Basically I'm looking at a G1 based theme using mainly classic toys for reasonable articulation. Based on Cybertron so no humans are involved. Although it will refer to Earth as the Transformers have returned to Cybertron from Earth. (explaining Earth alt modes;))

It is a big task I'm undertaking but I usually take on several big tasks at once as I don't get too bored with the one project. At the moment this, studying Martial Arts and learning the guitar are my big projects. I already have a few main sets built usuing Games Workshop style designs mainly from cardboard so they are collapsable for easy storage and can be mixed up for use in various settings. I also have found some reasonable software to use that should make it look alright.

[Paulbot]

Basically I'm looking at a G1 based theme using mainly classic toys for reasonable articulation. Based on Cybertron so no humans are involved. Although it will refer to Earth as the Transformers have returned to Cybertron from Earth. (explaining Earth alt modes;))

It is a big task I'm undertaking but I usually take on several big tasks at once as I don't get too bored with the one project. At the moment this, studying Martial Arts and learning the guitar are my big projects. I already have a few main sets built usuing Games Workshop style designs mainly from cardboard so they are collapsable for easy storage and can be mixed up for use in various settings. I also have found some reasonable software to use that should make it look alright.

Sounds good. You and Tallestblue (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=10025) might be in a race to see who can get their Photocomic done first :)

[UltraMarginal]

Wow, big undertaking, I only got into the comics with DW, which I loved the artistic styling of <<cringe>> please don't hit me. I generally liked the story line too with the ark disaster and resulting fallout. I'm not a fan though of great characters (like Superion) getting 2 frames to look cool and then be obliterated.

I have generally enjoyed the IDW stuff though a lot of the art is not quite to the crisp standard that I thought DW set. I prefer stories that move well, though not so fast that you turn 5 pages and don't know what has happened because half the action was set in the background of a frame that wasn't actually a feature on the page.

that said, I don't like it when every little detail is explained to the finest point so much that half the space or text could be used to make exactly the same point. Not too much spoon feeding.


I wish you all the best in you're endeavour, are you gonig to present here or are you going to develop you're own webcomic site?

I also really look forward to seeing your work.

[Sam]

I like seeing more of Cybertron's environs (sorry, not saying this to be spiteful because I know you're doing a photocomic, but it's really what I wanna see more of).

[Seraphim Prime]

Wow, big undertaking, I only got into the comics with DW, which I loved the artistic styling of <<cringe>> please don't hit me.

*Throws rotten tomatoes... :P


But on the original topic, a couple of photocomics that i have loved, set in-universe, are Obsidian's Lament and Out of the Dead Land. Both can be found on TFW. (I'm pretty sure, maybe the Allspark. It's been a while since I read them.) Both have a set of characters actually dealing with, responding to, and evolving as characters due to events that have happened either in the story or because of events in the past.

I suppose the common thread between the two is strong, consistent characterisation.

[Lord_Zed]

While I like G1 the last thing I want these days is another g1 reboot, so sick of them. Show us something new in a comic, how bout bridging the gap between G1 and Beast Wars, or resurrecting the G2 comic and continuing that, even the Dreamwave comic seemed to be building slowly toward some new take on the TF universe.

But I digress, I guess the three main things I'd like to see in a TF comic (but wont) are:

Interesting new characters, no not Drift I said Interesting. :D The redshirt bots in Last Stand Of the Wreckers were a good start, till they died.

Try something new, or at least a bit different

And most important of all, and this really bugs me TF comic writers. Grow a spine and kill of some original G1 first year characters, and IDW are like the worst offender ever of this eg, Prime died then he came back, so did Megatron, and Ironhide, and Sunstreaker, Thundercracker too was presumed dead, but he wasn't all this over the space of a year. I'm sure Bumblebee will be back in a few issues. I really dislike this because as the first year G1 crew are usually the main players in most TF comics, it means there is never any suspense about them being offed unexpectedly. The later year characters yes, but they practicly have redshirt written all over them. With a cast as big as G1 they could afford to kill someones favourite, but it seems more like the writers are paralysed with fear.:mad:

Ok that turned into a rant, but you get my idea. One of the things I loved about the G2 comic of old is no one was safe, characters from all years were mixed together and it felt like no one was untouchable.

So I guess what I want from a new TF comic is a comic where Ironhide dies and he stays dead, come one even the cartoon could do that.

[UltraMarginal]

And most important of all, and this really bugs me TF comic writers. Grow a spine and kill of some original G1 first year characters, and IDW are like the worst offender ever of this eg, Prime died then he came back, so did Megatron, and Ironhide, and Sunstreaker, Thundercracker too was presumed dead, but he wasn't all this over the space of a year. I'm sure Bumblebee will be back in a few issues. I really dislike this because as the first year G1 crew are usually the main players in most TF comics, it means there is never any suspense about them being offed unexpectedly. The later year characters yes, but they practicly have redshirt written all over them. With a cast as big as G1 they could afford to kill someones favourite, but it seems more like the writers are paralysed with fear.:mad:



A rant yes but a good point, while I hate seeing my favorites killed off I can see where your coming from. your comment made me think of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtsman they've managed so far to kill of a good character in both seperate instalments of their writing, Jazz and CliffJumper. :(. At least I have IDW to know that my favorites will be back! :)

but yea, good point, as long as the characters are killed off doing something worthwhile, or at least having their character fleshed out a bit so you care when they go.

[GoktimusPrime]

Most of what I would say has already been raised by other people, but just in addition to that one thing that bugs me with TF comics these days is a lack of "substance" per issue. Back in the G1 Marvel days, you'd buy an issue for a dollar or so and each story was packed with enough action and stuff happening to entertain you. The stories felt more substantial too (for reasons already cited by others). One thing that bugs me with IDW comics nowadays is when I pay $6-7 for an issue, then when I finish reading it I'm left feeling like, "That was it?" Like the recent issue of Ongoing G1 -- exposition about what happened to Megatron and more about the nature of those mini-Megatron guns on Earth and what led to the assassination of Bumblebee. The end. What? Waitasec... did anything actually happen?? Awww... <sad.face>

TF comics these days just don't give me the same bang for my buck like Marvel.

[UltraMarginal]

TF comics these days just don't give me the same bang for my buck like Marvel.

that's why I also read Phantom comics, awesome stories, great locations and action. Incredible art.
all for just a few bucks.

[Sky Shadow]

So I at the moment am working on my own photo comic series. I am hoping to do something serious with a long running story arc. So I ask you the fans what sort of things (character developments, storylines etc) would you like to see?

You can definitely do something with a long-running story arc, but 'something' needs to happen in every issue. Each individual comic needs to be a story of its own that then fits into a bigger tapestry. Every issue needs a cliffhanger or revelation or resolution on the last 'page'.

[Quickstrike]

What the Hell? Carwash of Doom is great. :mad:

[Tallestblue]

Sounds good. You and Tallestblue (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=10025) might be in a race to see who can get their Photocomic done first :)

It looks like Bartim is putting a lot of work into his photocomic, and I'm very interested to see how it goes for him. As for what I'd like to see...A serious "Crisis on Infinite Earths" Style story with multiple toylines.
My Photocomic is going to be a screwball comedy set in my room, though there will be occasional dramatic elements, Think Toy Story with a Robot Chicken influence,but Check out Insecticomics for my major inspiration.

[liegeprime]

They should get George Perez to write for TFs hehehe:D:D His run in Wonder Woman had plots with subplots and diversionary subplots which leads up to a company wide War of the Gods finale! Plus he researches pertinent topics to enrich the background and flesh out characterization of all characters not just the lead ones.... as everyone has mentioned no more loooooong drawn out storylines with nuthin happening, enough of panels with no action and staring blankly with thoughts in their heads kinda storylines, thats just lazy sotry telling!! If the current comics could be translated into a novel the way they do it is like 5 chapters of a single character pouring tea.... boring as.