Simon Furman has uploaded a special Christmas present for all Transformers fans, the original script for Dreamwave’s Beast Wars Issue #1, which was due to come out in 2006 before the company went bankrupt. It makes an interesting read for any Beast Wars fans who are interested in how it would have differed for IDW’s Beast Wars series, The Gathering.
Transformers-themed pub could be Britain’s Best Home Bar
A Transformers-themed pub is in the running to be crowned Britain’s Best Home Bar, in a competition being run by Liberty Games. The winning bar, chosen… [more]
TFNation 2019 Transformers Convention Review
This last weekend saw yet another Transformers convention take over the Metropole Hilton, in Birmingham. These weekends have become a staple of my summer… [more]
Annual Transformers Forum Meet Tour
Every year, since 2011, the nerds from TheTF.Net forum (now a Facebook group, because running a forum proved too much like hard work) have met for a weekend… [more]
Our 2019 Forum Meet took place this weekend, in Cardiff
This weekend saw our annual forum meet being held in the Welsh capital of Cardiff. Each year we meet in a different town or city in the UK, alternating… [more]
Video Footage from Transforce in 2001
Almost 18 years ago (crikey, has it been that long?) we wrote a review of our visit to Transforce in August 2001. It was a seriously hot day, but a great… [more]
IDW Publishing Releases 12/12/07
More Transformers comics have been released today from IDW Publishing. Continuing the 4 issue saga, Beast Wars: The Ascending Issue #3 is out, along with three books with reprinted material; Transformers Magazine Issue #4, Best of UK: Dinobots Issue #4 (from the Marvel UK catalogue), and the Megatron Origin TPB, which series as an origin story for IDW’s G1 universe.
IDW Publishing February 08 Solicitations
IDW’s solicitations for February 2008 have been released and there are plenty of Transformers titles, including The Transformers Spotlight: Arcee, Transformers Spotlight Volume 2 TPB, collecting Soundwave, Kup, Galvatron, Optimus Prime and Ramjet together, The Transformers Devastation #6, the final issue in the series, The Transformers Beast Wars: Sourcebook #4 and Beast Wars: The Ascending TPB.
The full release can be found at Comics Continuum.
Updated covers will be revealed closer to the release date.
IDW Releases 21/10/07
Actually there is only one release but an anticipated one none-the-less. The second of four Beast Wars Sourcebooks is let loose at retail with profiles covering all Beast Wars series.
IDW Publishing have put up a 5 page preview of the issue, and the cover art, to temp you into parting with your money.
IDW Beast Wars Profiles Book teaser
Ben Yee, has posted some interesting information on the upcoming Beast Wars Profiles Book that are coming out later this year. He has posted the following on his board:
Hi folks,This project is still in the works and not due out for a bit, so I can’t give the farm away. Just wanted to offer some factoids
- I am writing a Beast Wars profiles book with Simon Furman (some folks wondered if it was some *other* Ben Yee).
- Issue #1 of the BW mini gives you a hint as to whether Japanese characters will be in the books.
- The profiles will NOT just be the guys (and gals) who appeared in the TV show (because that would be one very thin book).
- There will be G1 homages and yes, characters (who became BW characters) in the book such as Grimlock. However, they are in the minority.
- This is not some haphazard assembly of characters. Before writing a single profile, Simon and I worked up an entire backstory for the Maxies and Preds taking the TV show and Beast Machines (to a lesser degree) into account.
I hope you all enjoy what you see as time goes along. We are trying to produce something cool with these profiles. If I can reveal more (or even better, hopefully IDW themselves reveal more in the coming months) I’ll post it on the front page or in here.
Beast Wars Sourcebook #1 Feedback
Chris Ryall has posted some feedback to the complaints from fans on Beast Wars Sourcebook #1, which was released last week.
“Hey, everyone– In the time we’ve been doing Transformers comics, there have been highs and lows for the fans, I know. As there’s going to be on anything — some projects work better than others, for various reasons.
This one seems to be ranking somewhere near the first issue of the TF Animated Series for most of you, from the responses I’ve seen.
Which sucks all around–the last thing we want to do is release product that doesn’t work for you. Especially since this particular book took so long to finally arrive. And because so many artists and colorists labored over it. And because Simon and Ben Yee did the same, and then waited patiently for the book to finally be assembled and released.
So for the person who just e-mailed me very angry and said “once again, IDW screws its fans,” well, that’s hardly true and hardly a sound approach to business, I would think. And nothing we would ever set out to do.
So what happened?
That’s a good question. But there’s really no need for me to make excuses or air any beasty-smelling laundry, so I’ll just say that the book is, like everything we publish, ultimately my responsibility. This book was one that sort of slipped through the crack while I was dealing with an editorial shift, and it went out with some errors. Book Two was completed during this same period. But Andrew is here as the TF Editor now, and is extremely competent and he and I will do what we can to ensure the rest of the books are produced as they should be. As many errors are able to be corrected in the collected version will be fixed, too.
I know that this book was a bit of a disappointment for fans who waited so long. Transition with art teams or editorial teams can cause hiccups that are evidenced in the finished product, but certainly not on purpose.
So know that I share your pain on this–maybe moreso, since so many people have shared their pain with me–but also know that putting out something you don’t love is never our intent. We’ll get ’em next time.”
Simon Furman Blogging: Beast Wars #1 & Blaster
With the release of Beast Wars The Ascending #1 next week, Simon Furman has provided a short summary of events from The Gathering and a small preview of what happens at the beginning of The Ascending.
He has also completed the script for Spotlight Blaster, due out in January. He writes about who Blaster actually is, and provides some hints on the story of the Spotlight.
Beast Wars Issue #2 Covers
You know that Q & A thread that Chris Ryall started (if you didn’t, I mentioned it right below this news post!), he is also giving out bits of art here and there. For your enjoyment, here are the two covers for Beast Wars #2.
Thanks Chris!
Ascending Info from Simon Furman
Simon Furman has kindly updated his new blog with some information on the second (The Gathering being the 1st) Beast Wars comic series, “Beast Wars The Ascending”. He mainly focuses on the first issue, with which he has just finish the script for (and the reason for this blog post). The first issue is out in September.
“We get a good look in on the planetary status quo, focusing on the overall command structure/hierarchy and special groups such as �The Pack.� And� it�s there we meet our new �big bad.� And I do mean �big.� What else? Well, we also see how Razorbeast and his earthbound (chronally displaced) Maximals are doing (and what Ravage�s Preds are up to). We find out what happened to Magmatron, and we learn the ultimate fate of Cybertron (and this is just issue #1!). Phew.”
Being released at the same time are the Beast Wars Profile Books which feature ALL Beast Wars characters (yes, including the Japanese ones).
Simon’s full blog post can be read here.
New Info from Wonder Festival Winter 2007
Japanese fansite Fan2Fan have been to the Wonder Festival Winter 2007 and come back with lots of photos and new information on a rnage of Transformers items that have been on show.
There are photos of Masterpiece Megatron, the Kiss Players Spark Bots CD set, Beast Wars Re-releases and plenty of fan made toys.
Also, there is news on Wonder Festival exclusive BT-17 Black Convoy, which they are now taking orders for, and that a translation of the Binaltech story will be up soon.
A full gallery can be found here.
