How did you discover TF comics in the 80s?

[jacksplatt11]

Maybe you're parents used TF comics for your diaper? If I recall correctly, we were having another recession around that time so you know they had to make ends meet.

Haha I don't think my parentals even know what comics are, let alone use them as nappies

[heroic_decepticon]

That's a rather... um... bold and controversial statement. Geoff Senior is widely considered to be the best G1 artist alongside Andrew Wildman according to fan votes in the now defunct annual Trannies awards.

IMO Senior has a really good sense of 'animation' in his artwork - evoking vivid movement and bringing a sense of motion to what is really a series of still images.

DD, pretty bold statement, yeah.
I still regard Senior as one of the best TF artists around. In many aspects, Senior (and Wildman's) art was the highlight of the 80s TF series. I'm actually a little disappointed that Wildman 'sold out' to the 'modern style' of drawing TFs when he did War Within. The style he used in the 80s had so much more feel.

Not really. Andrew Wildman nor Geoff Senior rate much in my book. The TF fandom has expanded since and while the stories from that era are celebrated by fans, I think that there are modern sensibilities at play now and many of the returned fans of the last few years are more inclined to Don Figueroa style than a Senior one. There's been an evolution in Transformers art and I think it would be naive to ignore that. Senior was a product of his times but if he drew modern stuff, that would severely put many like myself off. Maybe its the older fans who will like him but I certainly feel they are creatures of the past.

Nobody said Senior is or was the best TF artist around, but I think he certainly is one of the best. Modern sensibilities, whatever that may mean, does not overtake the intrinsic beauty of well done art. Sure Figuroa (and Milne and Guidi and etc) are undeniably good, and do art that is really detailed, but their Transformers sorely lack one thing- life. Their Transformers are stiff and lack a lot of the life, energy and potency of Senior's or Wildman's (in the 80s) Transformers. Gok, I'm not sure if you're with me, but to me that is the distinction.

At least to me, modern day TF art while really detailed, had very little life until EJ Su came along.

[liegeprime]

I discovered Tfs comics when I was walking into a local bookstore ( back in Phils, though, not here of course) and strolled into the comics section. First issue I saw was that of cover where Shockwave was beating the crap out of Megsy while a helicopter passes by, since then Ive been trying to get my hands on any issues I didnt have, sometimes I just read off the shelves coz I didnt have money to buy it hehehe.

[TheDirtyDigger]

That's a rather... um... bold and controversial statement

DD, pretty bold statement, yeah.

Haha....not really guys. A bold and controversial statement would be something like, "Australia should isolate itself from the rest of the world so we can become an insular, backwater filled with dole-bludging, redneck hicks".

We're talking kids comics here and to back up my statement I give you two covers from the era in question...


First one has realism, curves, life!



Second one is stylised, less realistic and wooden.

[liegeprime]

First one is Wildman's art - which I preferred during those times, still do. It's what got me hooked to buying the monthly issues. Although I would scout for older issues, Im mainly in it for the stories, the art, meh. Until Mr. Wildman started I thought most of the drawings while they evoke action are for me like stickmen drawings given box shapes pieced together to make the body bulky. I hated it when someone gets zapped by a lazer that the drawing is always that of a TF backing up and almost arching in half with agony. I mean there had to be another way to draw a TF being blasted .

Mr. Senior's art does have that motion that Gok has been saying but indeed it has been marred by bad coloring. BUt I did prefer Mr. Wildman's more. Having Said that, I was a tinge dissapointed when they used Mr. Senior to draw the battle scene of the combined TF race with unicron. While his ( Senior's) art is very much suited to make Unicron's features , massive, menacing, edgy, evil, all pointy and craggy I didnt like his art for the other common variety TFs. Unfortunately you couldnt ask them to combine their art, Senior doing Unicron ( I love his rendition of Starsceam possessed Warworld in G2) and the backgrounds while Wildman for all the rest of TFs.

One thing I didnt like much of Wildman's art is that his TF's face were too "liquid" and drooly. Sure they have to evoke a certain emotion but giving them cheekbones and all well, they kinda look like humans with painted faces and battle armour on. He started fine but as the series went more on and on it kinda gotten more Fleshy. It suits Bludgeon though

[Bartrim]

My first introduction to the comics was on a christmas day. I received an issue as part of a present. Unfortunately it was that stupid issue where Skullgrin is a movie star. I avoided TF comics preferring my cartoons until I was much older(26), more mature and had better resources (the internet) to read about and source old TF comics.

[Paulbot]

Man did this really have to go back to Senior rules/sucks again. Come on that arguement's been had a dozen times. Stay on topic please.

[TheDirtyDigger]

Man did this really have to go back to Senior rules/sucks again. Come on that arguement's been had a dozen times. Stay on topic please.

My fault. Apologies.

[GoktimusPrime]

I've made a more relevant thread here regarding G1 (1984-1992) art and artists.

[roller]

i forgot about this

anywhoozle

one day many many decade ago my dad came home one day and brought 2 old G2 comics, from some secondhand shop.

I was very impressed.

Then one day while shoppping with the mother organism, i saw a comic 3 pack, 1 of those comics was a G1 comic with the Throttlebots.

Then for a long time nothing happened.

Then years later, by chance, i strode into a comic shop and DW #2 was there. Now if that doesn't scream divine intervention, i dont know what does.