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Detailed information on IDW's Infestation crossover spanning IDW original series as well as licensed books like GI Joe, Transformers, and Star Trek.

I'm a huge fan of zombies so I'm interested on how Transformers and GI Joe fit in. GI Joe especially since the current comic is a very grounded realistic take.

The Infestation Begins

Friday, Oct 8th, 2010
Zombie Epic Crosses into Blockbuster Hollywood Franchises
IDW Multi-Title Event Starts in January 2011 with Acclaimed Creators

A first in comic book history, IDW Publishing is proud to announce INFESTATION! Starting in January 2011, INFESTATION will infect STAR TREK, GHOSTBUSTERS, TRANFORMERS and G.I. JOE comics with zombies, zombies, and more zombies. To help create this multi-dimensional saga, IDW is teaming up with fan-favorite writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (The Thanos Imperative, Legion of Super-Heroes) and artist David Messina (TRUE BLOOD).

"This is definitely one of those 'there's no way they'll ever do this' kind of events," said IDW's Chief Creative Officer Chris Ryall. "But not only are we doing something fans never thought they'd see, we're doing it in a way that should confound and exceed their expectations. And doing it with real pros like Abnett and Lanning just makes it that much sweeter, especially knowing what they've got planned as a follow-up to this event."

Setting the stage for this massive event, Abnett and Lanning will pen INFESTATION #1, launching in January 2011. This initial 32-page story begins in IDW's own ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS universe, where something goes terribly wrong and ultimately infests the worlds of TRANSFORMERS, STAR TREK, G.I. JOE, and GHOSTBUSTERS with zombies and infected robots. From there, the story spins ferociously into each of the four properties throughout February and March, and culminates in April's bombastic finale, INFESTATION #2.

In February, TRANSFORMERS: INFESTATION #1-2 and STAR TREK: INFESTATION #1-2 will ship bi-weekly. The TRANSFORMERS title will also be penned by Abnett and Lanning, with fan-favorite Nick Roche handling the art. STAR TREK will be written by mainstay authors Scott and David Tipton and illustrated by Casey Maloney (Zipper).

March will see the release of the bi-weekly G.I. JOE: INFESTATION #1-2 by writer Mike Raicht and artist Giovanni Timpano, as well as GHOSTBUSTERS: INFESTATION by Erik Burnham (THE A-TEAM: WAR STORIES) and Kyle Hotz (Marvel Zombies). Artist John K. Snyder III (PHOENIX WITHOUT ASHES) will provide covers for the two INFESTATION issues, as well as 1950s sci-fi film-inspired images for each of the four involved series.

To further commemorate this "decade in the making" event, IDW will be releasing special incentive patches with every issue. Each embroidered, sew-on patch will feature "infected" logos of the four titles. Additional incentives include a painted cover by Zombies vs Robots co-creator Ashley Wood for INFESTATION #1, as well as a special 16-page sketchbook featuring zombified versions of the perennially popular characters from these four universes, as illustrated by artists associated with each property.

The entire event will make its presence felt on the cover of the January Previews catalog, showcasing a special INFESTATION "quadrtych" image of Snake Eyes, Mr. Spock, OPTIMUS PRIME, and Dr. Peter Venkman under attack from a zombie by LOCKE & KEY artist Gabriel Rodriguez.

"We've found a way to involve all of these diverse titles in a massive storyline that has ties all the way back to the early days of IDW," continued Ryall. "I think fans will be amazed by what we've pulled together here, as well as the stories that will come out of this once-in-my-lifetime event."


INFESTATION #1 ($3.99, 40 pages, full color) will be available in stores on January 19, 2011.

TRANSFORMERS: INFESTATION #1 and #2 will be in stores on February 2 and 16, 2011, respectively.

STAR TREK: INFESTATION #1 and #2 will be in stores on February 9 and 23, 2011, respectively.

G.I. JOE: INFESTATION #1 and #2 will be in stores on March 2 and 16, 2011, respectively.

GHOSTBUSTERS: INFESTATION #1 and #2 will be in stores on March 9 and 23, 2011, respectively.

INFESTATION #2 will be available in stores on April 6, 2011.

This. will. be. awesome. I'm oddly excited about this!

Infestation = Ca$h Cow!!!

Seibertron wrote:Infestation = Ca$h Cow!!!

Somehow, I think "Infestation = IDW finally jumping the shark" is more accurate.

Link to the original thread and comments:

new-idw-crossover-t68462.php

It appears opinions have changed somewhat.

I hope they do this next year with 30 Days of Night, Locke & Key, A-Team, Machete, Jurassic Park, and IDW's newly acquired Godzilla crossing over to fight zombies.

Zombies don't seem like much of a threat to transformers I love zombies so this is a must have for me

Sky-Quake wrote:Zombies don't seem like much of a threat to transformers I love zombies so this is a must have for me

Robot zombies a la the Spotlight Kup issue?

I highly suspect that this won't be considered part of Transformers canon.

I am interested though, I'll get some of the books at least.

Not at all looking forward to this. I dig zombies, but... this?

Damn IDW. I was hoping things would get BETTER, but I guess we'll have to suffer through the undead now ("A first in comic book history," just like Marvel Zombies or DC's Blackest Night!). G1 is in the toilet (has been since '08). Drift is Drift; why does he get his own book again?. The Joe books are awful, and now we get an 'innovative' zombie crossover.

I haven't missed a single issue of any Transformers title since 1986, and I will continue to purchase them as they are released... but I don't think I've ever been this disgusted with any TF publisher's output. This makes me miss Dreamwave, pretentiousness and all.

Gah.

IDW has released so much stuff I've lost interest (Their stuff is B..E...Autiful) but that Prime is Pimp

NebulanFree wrote:Not at all looking forward to this. I dig zombies, but... this?

Damn IDW. I was hoping things would get BETTER, but I guess we'll have to suffer through the undead now ("A first in comic book history," just like Marvel Zombies or DC's Blackest Night!).

My sentiment exactly,Transformers have the Hate plague/the Swarm and the TFzombies from the old marvel comics,how in ANY way is this a first?!I like the way transformers have their own version of things too i.e. Kups time on that unnamed planet in his spotlight was a great example of addiction and how it can effect ones-self and others trying to help you without being obvious about it.This just feels like a straight up rip-off of marvel zombies

Straken wrote:

NebulanFree wrote:Not at all looking forward to this. I dig zombies, but... this?

Damn IDW. I was hoping things would get BETTER, but I guess we'll have to suffer through the undead now ("A first in comic book history," just like Marvel Zombies or DC's Blackest Night!).

My sentiment exactly,Transformers have the Hate plague/the Swarm and the TFzombies from the old marvel comics,how in ANY way is this a first?!I like the way transformers have their own version of things too i.e. Kups time on that unnamed planet in his spotlight was a great example of addiction and how it can effect ones-self and others trying to help you without being obvious about it.This just feels like a straight up rip-off of marvel zombies

I thought the same thing at first but then after thinking about it ... it's a first in several ways. Four (count 'em!) MAJOR Hollywood blockbuster licenses are coming together in a crazy other-worlds crossover series. THAT is what's a first for the comics industry. This isn't Star Trek versus Ghostbusters. This isn't GiJoe versus Star Trek (though that sounds really cool). This is Transformers, Star Trek, GiJoe, and Ghostbusters all rolled up into one crazy Zombieland story and how each property deals with some crazy insane crisis like this.

I'd love to see the contracts for this, not to mention the crazy legalese for having 3 different major companies (Hasbro, Warner Brothers, and Sony pictures) involved in one comic crossover.

Supreme Convoy wrote:

Sky-Quake wrote:Zombies don't seem like much of a threat to transformers I love zombies so this is a must have for me

Robot zombies a la the Spotlight Kup issue?

Or the Cybertronian Zombies from the old school Marvel UK books from the 80s?

I don't know why everyone's complaining so much, it sounds kind of fun to me. And even if it turns out lame, it's not like these are part of the ongoing series anyway, so it's just a side story you can ignore.

kirbenvost wrote:I don't know why everyone's complaining so much, it sounds kind of fun to me. And even if it turns out lame, it's not like these are part of the ongoing series anyway, so it's just a side story you can ignore.

I agree ... it sounds like fun. Looking forward to seeing what they've got up their sleeves.

Seibertron wrote:THAT is what's a first for the comics industry. This isn't Star Trek versus Ghostbusters. This isn't GiJoe versus Star Trek (though that sounds really cool). This is Transformers, Star Trek, GiJoe, and Ghostbusters all rolled up into one crazy Zombieland story and how each property deals with some crazy insane crisis like this.

Very true,and by the sounds of it,its zombies vs "insert property",but my problem is that recently zombies seem to have become all powerful in fiction(E.g.Marvel zombies),which isnt what zombies are ment to represent,if its a plague,even a magical plague why would it effect robots?If the Enterprise needs to go back in time then surely the Federation wouldnt exist in the first place(excluding alternate dimensions).
G.I.Joe and Ghostbusters working together makes sense againt zombies,but surely Transformers would have no problem dealing with hoards of 'human' zombies if (presumably) they couldnt get infected(and even if they did they'd just abandon the planet).
Its fine that zombies and zombie fights are a few against the many,last stand kinda thing,but "zombies" represent the brain dead masses,mixing that with the concept of giant alien robots and you lose what "human" zombies represent and move into the realm of "what if 'X vs Y'" forum thread level of silliness. dont get me wrong,it can be done with a bit of creative thinking but,IMO,dont call them zombies,even if they are,to an extent,atleast try to write it from a different angle,this just feels "forced/bandwagon" like another addition to the current zombie fad media has been infected with.

Yeah ... not impressed.

As others have said, the Zombies thing has been done to death ... and then brought back to life far too many times ... okay that last bit was a bad pun.

"Zombies -vs- Robots"? I read it. It wasn't one of IDW's better series.

I think the one redeeming factor in this grand idea is that it won't be a direct cross-over between books so Spock won't be telling Snake-Eyes his lack of speaking is illogical. After all, we don't need another trainwreck like New Avengers/Transformers.

Good on IDW for this, but yeah, Zombie's? Like Marvel hasn't shoved that down our throats with 5 series of Marvel Zombies (4 of which were too many)

Okay.. copy Blackest Night..

I agree that the zombie thing has been done-to-death. Fortunately, I'm not a comic book collector outside of Transformers so I haven't read any of what else is out there. Hopefully they have a concept that is unique to IDW and not just a straight-up copycat of what Marvel and DC has done, because I agree with all of you that that is the last thing we need.

If they do Transformer zombies, I hope they take a good look at what's been done in the past so that we could get some nods with either Cybertronian Transorganics or "hate plague" or ala Marvel UK's Impactor.

Well like I said, if it's the Zombie's of "Zombies -vs- Robots" then there's nothing special about them. They weren't dead-come-back-to-life-as-zombies heroes or villians, in fact most of the ZvR stories revolved around the remaining humans and how they utilised robots to fight the zombies.

It'll definitely be interesting to see how they do go about it.

Seibertron wrote:I'd love to see the contracts for this, not to mention the crazy legalese for having 3 different major companies (Hasbro, Warner Brothers, and Sony pictures) involved in one comic crossover.

Star Trek is a Paramount property.

The whole "Transformers and Zombies" concept reminds me a lot of the "City of Fear" story-arc from Marvel UK...Having just re-released this story-arc as a TPB within the past couple of years, isn't such a zombie-cross-over event involving TFs a little redundant?

Also: Why are they issuing commemorative patches? Why not posters?


- Bob

Zombies. Zombies. *Sigh*

I have... never liked zombie stories, maybe barring Blackest Night. But that's only because the zombies were a credible threat there. Otherwise... no.

So this is beyond pass for me. The idea of the crossover is awesome. The tying together... is not.

Seriously, zombies?

Transformers, G.I Joe, Star Trek, and Ghostbusters all in one crossover series? This could be either one of the most epic ideas IDW's ever done, or possibly one that will bring them down in bits and ashes.... OK, the last one was a little exaggerated, but it sounds epic. Can't wait to see more of the Transformer bits.