Shane McCarthy talks about AHM, and confirms Drift toy.

[griffin]

From the website Comic Book Resources, an interview with Shane McCarthy, writer of IDW's All Hail Megatron Transformers comic:

http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18585#

Includes further confirmation of Hasbro doing a Drift toy based on his character in the comic. As to when it will be released, is not yet known.
The article has a heap of scans from the comic series, and a bit about the person behind the story.

[Pulse]

So looking forward to Drift! :)

I wonder what line Drift'll be a part of...? (Alternity? or will it be like the Chevy Aveo Swerve & be a stand-alone Universe figure?)

[i_amtrunks]

Who cares about Drift?

Kup is back, Perceptor looks like a bad mutha (shaft) and Roadbuster is humongous!

Just hope that McCarthy continues on the "-tion" thread that Kup has returned right from the brink of death, and doesnt gloss over it.

And the "interview" is not really much that has not been released before.

[GoktimusPrime]

Joining the ranks of classic Autobots like Jazz and Ratchet in the upcoming fifth issue of the series will be Drift, a brand new character who holds the distinction of being the very first Transformers character ever to make the jump from the comic page to the toy aisle, a distinction that had McCarthy "pretty chuffed to say the least."
Not true. Titanium Series did give us several toys of characters that originated from comics (i.e.: War Within) and we've seen other 'mainstream' toys that have been influenced by comic designs, e.g.: Galaxy Force/Cybertron Optimus Prime & Starscream (obviously influenced by War Within Prime and Starscream).

Having said that, I find Titanium Series to be appallingly crap TF action figures (underwhelming engineering and poor playability) and it wasn't marketed as part of the "mainstream line" of Transformers (more of a sub-line), so Drift may be the first comic-book character to be realised as a proper 'mainstream' TF action figure if it's released say in the Universe line.

I initially thought Classics Jetfire was based on IDW Jetfire because the design did appear in the comics before the toy came out, but of course we all know that in reality it was because IDW had received images of the Classics Jetfire toy in advance so that they were able to insert him into the comics before the toy came out. It was conceived as a toy first.

So while I enjoy Titanium Series as display items, if Drift turns out to be an actual toy that I can play with then yeah... I'd be chuffed! :D Let's hope he's not undone by poor QC... (-_-)

[Paulbot]

Not true. Titanium Series did give us several toys of characters that originated from comics (i.e.: War Within) and we've seen other 'mainstream' toys that have been influenced by comic designs, e.g.: Galaxy Force/Cybertron Optimus Prime & Starscream (obviously influenced by War Within Prime and Starscream).


Hate to be picky but the article says Drift is the first "character" to make the jump. The War Within examples are comic designs making it to the toy aisle but they were for existing characters.

[TheDirtyDigger]

Hate to be picky but the article says Drift is the first "character" to make the jump. The War Within examples are comic designs making it to the toy aisle but they were for existing characters.

What about The Fallen?

[Zippo]

Can't wait to see how the toy of Drift turns out.

[Paulbot]

What about The Fallen?

Jihaxus is probably the actual first character that was a comic only character to make the jump, although the toy didn't really match the comic version.

Eitherway I'd be more than happy for more comic character-based toys. I'm still hanging out for a Hearts of Steel Bumblebee :)

[FFN]

Just hope that McCarthy continues on the "-tion" thread that Kup has returned right from the brink of death, and doesnt gloss over it. Kup was also, you know, a batcrap insane murderer who killed a large number of would-be Autobot rescuers and talked to the corpse of Outback.

And for AHM addressing this... what do you think given the other things that have been ignored or glossed over thus far?

[Pulse]

Who cares about Drift?


:eek: You deserve a paddling for that! :D

Drift has me totally psyched! (not for the comic but for the upcoming figure... :))

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/RamenJunkie/AHM_DRIFT.jpg Phwoar! :D

[jacksplatt11]

Drift looks so cool... albeit very Gundam-ish.. but very cool.. Definitely getting the toy when it comes out

[STL]

I just read the interview! Very damned excited. So I wonder what its label under Classics 2.0 will be.

[Lord_Zed]

Nice enough pic of this Drift bot, I'm waiting to be let down by the toy. If i keep my expectations low, I'll hopefully be suprised. hopefully he will be as cool as the comic to figure Cobra Wraith.

[i_amtrunks]

I'd prefer a new Roadbuster based on his design in AHM than Drift, not like an Autobot car (even a car that would not look out of place in a Fast and Furious Movie) is anything all that new and exciting. :p

AHM Perceptor would also make an excellent toy, and I'd love to see more Blaster too..

[sifun]

Drift needs to be in Alternity.

expect less detail from the concept as usual.

Reminds me of the g1.5 turbomasters

[STL]

Drift needs to be in Alternity.

expect less detail from the concept as usual.

Reminds me of the g1.5 turbomasters

Down with the Tiny! G1.5 Turbomasters rule!

If Hasbro did modern representations of them, I think I'd start having a neverending party!


I'd prefer a new Roadbuster based on his design in AHM than Drift, not like an Autobot car (even a car that would not look out of place in a Fast and Furious Movie) is anything all that new and exciting. :p


I dunno, the nostalgist in me kinda shuddered at Roadbusters new form but I;kk wait to I see it more in comics. I'm a sucker for fiction...



AHM Perceptor would also make an excellent toy, and I'd love to see more Blaster too..

Absolutely agreed (as long as Perceptor doesn't have the Cyclops thing happening)

I wonder though if Hasbro would be inclined to do another Blaster so soon though after just doing that horrible one in Classics 2.0 that I've resorted to calling Shattered Glass Soundwave. :o

[Geminii]

Drift's looking a bit G2, a bit Wheeljack around the legs, a bit Getaway around the chest, and a bit Punch or Pointblank around the shoulders.

Inspirations?

[roller]

do you all like spoilers? The only way ive heard of this Drift character is from here.

I personally dont like to know Spoilers, but if they make a toy that would be good.

I hope hes not a "hi then die' character

[FFN]

I'd prefer a Roadbuster based upon Don Figueroa's design in Stormbringer. You know, not hulking and gigantic.


Drift's looking a bit G2, a bit Wheeljack around the legs, a bit Getaway around the chest, and a bit Punch or Pointblank around the shoulders.

Inspirations? Drift's design is a rip off of G1 Boss. (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Boss)

[Tallestblue]

Drift's design is a rip off of G1 Boss. (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Boss)

Huh. I though Boss was G2? Meh.

Oh, hey, here's an idea how about we don't make "Bendis-bot" into a toy and give toys to other, established characters that haven't got ones first?

A classics/universe Arcee would be nice. Or a Jazz. Howabout Jazz? I like Jazz.

[griffin]

do you all like spoilers? The only way ive heard of this Drift character is from here.

I personally dont like to know Spoilers, but if they make a toy that would be good.

I hope hes not a "hi then die' character

Sorry if this was a spoiler roller, but I thought Drift had already been introduced in the AHM comic. :(

[i_amtrunks]

Sorry if this was a spoiler roller, but I thought Drift had already been introduced in the AHM comic. :(

Not yet, I think we get to see him in #6 (could be #5 though).

But since about March this year there has been quite a number of mentions for Drift, and how he'd be getting a toy after Hasbro liked McCarthy's pitch and Fig's design.

As for Rollers question, (I'll spoilerise it for him in case he doesnt want to know)
Drift will not be a "hi the die" character, nor (according to McCarthy) will he be the traitor.

[dirge]

Huh. I though Boss was G2? Meh.


He's actually in that awkward gap between when original (now called G1) was cancelled in the USA and the G2 branch was launched. He was sold under the original banner in Europe & Australasia during the US' hiatus. As a result he is essentially G1, although toys from that era are often called G1.5 or European G1 (a misnomer here in Australia) to distinguish them from the universal G1 toys.

Hope this clears things up for you :)

[GoktimusPrime]

Erm, actually he's G1. As a 1992 Transformer that toy was never repackaged as Generation 2. The toy carries late G1 insignias which were also used in G2... some fans consider those logos to be "G2 logos" but they're really late G1 logos. Some people call them "European G1" logos, but as dirge alluded to, is not entirely accurate (as these toys were available outside of Europe too, like in Australia, New Zealand etc).

G1.5 are G1 Transformers released in early 1993 which were then repackaged as Generation 2 Transformers around mid-1993 when Hasbro launched Transformers Generation 2. As a result some Transformers were available in both G1 and G2 packaging.

Here's an example of a real "G1.5" Transformer.
Left: G1 Fearswoop, Right: G2 Fearswoop (both released in 1993)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/fearswoop.jpg
You'll notice that there Decepticon insignia on G1 Fearswoop is the same as the G2 Decepticon insignia, but the words "Generation 2" does not appear anywhere on that packaging so it's technically G1 (and the toy was released several months before G2). G2 Fearswoop is on a G2 style card and of course features the "Generation 2" logo.