AHM 13 preview - a significant change in art style

[FFN]

Hasbro checks all artwork done under the official Transformers banner. This stylistic change would unlikely have been approved if it were something the artist cooked up on his own (even somebody as favoured with Hasbro as Don). As I understand, Hasbro has a significant say in the visual style of the comic.

Besides, look at the evidence thus far:

- The vehicle modes of the Autobots (who had a counterpart in the live-action movies) in the G1 Robot Heroes childrens book "I Am Optimus Prime" feature movie-influenced vehicle modes: Bumblebee is a Camaro, Ratchet is not a Japanese minivan ambulance, Prime is an extended-hood truck.

- Episode 2 of Hasbro's flash-animated Universe cartoon features versions of G1 Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron heavily-influenced by the movie in style and depiction.

- Animated got the arse. Animated was largely created by Hasbro as a sort of backup plan on the off-chance the 2007 movie bombed, hence the polar-opposite style. However, since the 2007 movie was very successful and at the time ROTF was expected to repeat that success (and it has), Animated was no longer compatible with Hasbro's current vision and plans for the franchise.

[Paulbot]

The art in the second story is drastically different again (but closer to traditional G1 look; it somewhat looks like the art in early tie-in books based on the toys):

http://www.seibertron.com/transforme...preview/16507/

We can wait and see but I think that perhaps they are just trying out different styles like they did in the Spotlights.

[Lord_Zed]

Yeah I like it when they give us a bit of variety in the art. I'm not entirely sure about this movie-esque look, but I do know I was severly bored with the G1 but detail less Art in issue 12 of AHM so I look forward to a little bit of variety.

[i_amtrunks]

Its kinda like they were going for G2 comic art and really stuffed up.

There are going to be eight stories over the four Coda issues, and I think IDW is using lesser known artist for half the stories as an introduction into the fold, IDW dont really have a massive amount of artists on their TF books.

Since I really do not like the movie aesthetic, I do not like the Ironhide and Prime story, but hopefully it is a one off, as Roche is in charge of art on the next series post CODA/Movie stuff.

[SilverDragon]

Oh...erm...ugh. That looks horrible.

I'm not against Optimus Primes of any universe having a mouth under the mouthplate, but here it just does not work.

Although the art of the second part looks nice.

[GoktimusPrime]

I agree with i_amtrunks insofar that this art reminds me more of G2 rather than the movie. Looks better than Manny Galan's work, though that's not hard! But yeah, considering that I survived Galan's G2 art, I think I can live through this. Still craploads better than Pat "no-one ever told me space was three dimensional!" Lee.

[GoktimusPrime]

What the... since when did Motorhead ever become an Autobot?!? (o_O)

[liegeprime]

Hmmm. Its alright, not 100% ok but it'll do. I've learned to accept a new look for TFs since IDW handled the reins. Just hope they make less details on face platings, it'll prolly work for decepticons but personally I prefer clean lines for the face of autobots, it makes them more of the hero, for now when I see the faces artwork it makes me think - zombies? but hey, Im open to see wht'll it evolve into.

[STL]

I have to add that the overall structure of the art is fine, it's really hte detail and style that the artist as adopted that doesn't appeal to me. I find it really fugly... even the forearms are ROTF style. I think the artist would be fine if he wasn't emulating ROTF.

Hmmm. Its alright, not 100% ok but it'll do. I've learned to accept a new look for TFs since IDW handled the reins. Just hope they make less details on face platings, it'll prolly work for decepticons but personally I prefer clean lines for the face of autobots, it makes them more of the hero, for now when I see the faces artwork it makes me think - zombies? but hey, Im open to see wht'll it evolve into.

+1.

Its kinda like they were going for G2 comic art and really stuffed up.

I'd take this ahead of G2 anyday of the week!

...as Roche is in charge of art on the next series post CODA/Movie stuff.

[orionpax1]

The bodies are good but the faces just look like crap, i mainly read these things for the art and if this is the direction they are going to go, than it looks like i will be saving myself a few bucks every month.