Photocomic: Transformers The Movie Part 3

[GoktimusPrime]

Part 1: An Evil New Force
Part 2: All Aboard!

Part 3: Their war. Our world.








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To Be Continued...
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NEXT:
Under Siege

[STL]

Ever thought of doing your own original ones? This ain't great. Very static and I feel its trying way too hard to emulate something it can't even come close to.

[GoktimusPrime]

Very static and I feel its trying way too hard to emulate something it can't even come close to.

That's the entire point of it! Using more modern versions of G1 toys (e.g.: Classics, Masterpiece, Robot Masters etc.) or kitbashing them to make them more poseable is cheating because it's not G1-accurate. It's like going to a Medieval/Renaissance Fair and finding someone walking around with an in-period costume that's been made with modern machine stitching! Whereas a person who goes around with an authentic hand-made costume, sewn in the same or similar method as the period would gain greater praise. That's why I personally really like the costumes in The Lord of the Rings - they could have pressed them from machines but they instead chose to hand-make them (e.g.: each piece of chain-mail is painstakingly hand-made one link at a time). Likewise why I prefer the look of people in Monty Python's Holy Grail and the Life of Brian, where most folks are just filthy and disease-ridden... which is how people lived back in those days!* It's not like a lot of other historical movies where people are walking around with shampooed hair and good dentistry.

It's all about G1-authenticity. It might not look dynamic compared to what toys can do now, but modern toys are not in-period. I'm only sticking to what the toys can do (could have done) in 1986. I've used MS Paint to add in occasional effects, but I've tried to make it minimal and as non-intrusive as possible. This comic is supposed to represent how the movie would look like when you recreated it with your toys as a child in 1986 (or as a grown collector in 2008! ).

I cheated a bit with my Primal Scream photocomic where I used Classics Grimlock instead of Pretender Grimlock, Masterpiece Starscream as Pretender Starscream and Action Master Jazz as Pretender Jazz... but that's not what I have intended for this series of photocomics. I'm trying to make them as "in-period" and authentically Generation One as possible. You'll notice that I even switch between reissues and originals too - Hot Rod in robot mode car mode is the reissue Targetmaster, but the one in mid-transformations (and with the open canopy) is a 1986 original (the broken roof allowing me to do the open canopy shot ). Likewise with Ironhide's transformation in Part 1.

I diverged a bit with Soundwave and Megatron's transformations though - I used Music Label and Smallest Soundwave and Mega-SCF and Smallest Megatron for their transformations in order to show the mass-shifting - since I cannot actually physically shrink the toys IRL. I've digitally cheated with Sam/MuttDaniel too to make him look tiny compared to Hot Rod**. But I consider these to be necessary cheats... whenever possible I'm trying not to cheat.

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*From Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
"He's a king."
"How do you know?"
"He hasn't got sh** all over him."
**Except for the panel where he's riding the turbo board in front of Hot Rod. That's an unmodified shot. But Daniel's larger size creates the illusion that he's far further ahead of Hot Rod than he actually is!

[kup]

I think its awesome and despite the static nature of the G1 figures, Gok has made the scenes seem very dynamic like the boarding of the Autobot ship in the last installment.

I also like dynamic poses with 'Paint' effects such as Daniel tripping over a 'rock' and Hotrod looking through his binoculars.

Its not fair to criticize this sort of fan projects in that manner as the artist (Gok) is only doing it for fun and in his own free time. He is not seeking to benefit from it in any way only to add a little bit of fun.

It is still very well done though as he is pulling off the scenes despite the already highlighted limitations of the G1 figures.

[STL]

That's the entire point of it! Using more modern versions of G1 toys (e.g.: Classics, Masterpiece, Robot Masters etc.) or kitbashing them to make them more poseable is cheating because it's not G1-accurate. It's like going to a Medieval/Renaissance Fair and finding someone walking around with an in-period costume that's been made with modern machine stitching! Whereas a person who goes around with an authentic hand-made costume, sewn in the same or similar method as the period would gain greater praise.

I can see where you're coming from. Especially since not all of the G1 toys have Classic counterparts which would make it very hard. It wasn't really about poseability for me. Just that I'm not feeling it though now I see the motivation behind this. I guess I wouldn't be too fussed about "cheating" as you say because I acknowledge a lot of the toys didn't even represent their G1 toys that well such as Ironhide and Ratchet.

I also like dynamic poses with 'Paint' effects such as Daniel tripping over a 'rock' and Hotrod looking through his binoculars.

I personally think it looks pretty horrid. Some of the better ones tend to have the cartoon background. Like the pic w/ the Starscream and the Constructicons on board the shuttle. But the yellow laser lines are pretty cringeworthy. Same deal with the Hot Rod transformation w/ the red lines. The binoculars I agree is cool though.

Its not fair to criticize this sort of fan projects in that manner as the artist (Gok) is only doing it for fun and in his own free time. He is not seeking to benefit from it in any way only to add a little bit of fun.

What, so I can't comment on someone unless I have praise?

The whole reason I asked Gok whether he'd try his own stuff was I think that given the amount of effort into this, it might be more interesting for him to come up with more new stuff. He doesn't have to accept that btw. I personally like photocomics that try to build or add something rather than just rehash scenes. I think some of the covers Gok has done w/ the toys are great but this movie comic has been pretty underwhelming. Kind of like Grimlock13's photocomic which I find to be total gold, funny take on collecting mixed with some humour:

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transf...nnies-446.html

It's not like I said "Utter Crap" to put someone down and then ran off. I've tried to offer my reasons constructively as to why I don't like it. It reminds me of the customiser boards where everyone is too full of praise b/c you don't want to step on someone else's toes. Yet the customiser claims he wants your frank and honest opinion but the moment someone comes along w/ a criticism he gets all defensive and agitated. I'm not saying this is Gok here, he's kindly explained what motivates him and I respect that completely now, but your tone seems to suggest that just because I don't like it I'm not entitled to express my opinion? Rather draconian.

[Paulbot]

Goktimus, I hope you didn't break your Hot Rod for this photocomic! I know my Hot Rod's been broken in that way for a long time.

[Lint]

Haha, I love it! The surpise use of props and daniel's expressionless face are hilarious

[GoktimusPrime]

I also like dynamic poses with 'Paint' effects such as Daniel tripping over a 'rock' and Hotrod looking through his binoculars.

Thanks. Posing Daniel like that was tricky. There are no wires or anything else supporting that toy - just raw balance - again, all part of me trying to avoid "cheating." (^_^)

I personally think it looks pretty horrid. Some of the better ones tend to have the cartoon background. Like the pic w/ the Starscream and the Constructicons on board the shuttle. But the yellow laser lines are pretty cringeworthy. Same deal with the Hot Rod transformation w/ the red lines. The binoculars I agree is cool though.

I am MS Paint's beeotch! How bad does the lower half of Lookout Mountain look, lolz. (^O^)

Goktimus, I hope you didn't break your Hot Rod for this photocomic! I know my Hot Rod's been broken in that way for a long time.

Yeah not to worry - my original Hot Rod's been broken like that since 1988 by my next door neighbour. The stickers are thoroughly worn too... so yeah, original Hot Rod is merely reissue TM Hot Rod's stunt double.

Haha, I love it! The surpise use of props and daniel's expressionless face are hilarious

Thanks - and yeah, the expressionless faces is again part of the whole intentional cheese factor so I'm glad you liked it.

Anyone else noticed what Daniel is using as his "fishing chair"?