The Energon Pub

[Seibertron]

Transformers Prequel to the Upcoming Blockbuster Movie Looking Like a Blockbuster, Too

First Two Issues of IDW's Movie Prequel Comic Completely Sold Out

March 28, 2007, San Diego, CA - With the recent release of new one- sheets showing the first official poster images of OPTIMUS PRIME and MEGATRON, fan anticipation for the big-screen TRANSFORMERS movie opening on July 4 continues to grow. This interest is evidenced in another way, too -- the first two issues of IDW Publishing's Transformers: The Official Movie Prequel comic book miniseries are officially sold out through Diamond Comic Distributors.

The Movie Prequel comic book, co-written by longtime TRANSFORMERS scribe Simon Furman and IDW's Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall and featuring art by fan-favorite artist Don Figueroa, offered fans the first official look at the characters and storyline to come in the summer movie release. This all-new, four-part storyline spanned centuries and planets, taking the story from the TRANSFORMERS' world of CYBERTRON through space to Earth, where players on both sides are gathering for a coming war. IDW released a special WizardWorld LA convention-exclusive edition of issue 1, limited to 1,000 copies, and will also distribute a special Free Comic Book Day version of the comic in May. But otherwise, that first issue, and issue 2, which features MEGATRON's arrival on Earth, have all been snatched up by anxious fans.

"This is especially gratifying to me," said co-writer Ryall, "since we've been doing Transformers comics for over a year now, and I've got to see from the start how fan interest in the movie has turned from wariness to absolute fervor."

Overall interest in THE TRANSFORMERS comics seems to be growing, too, as evidenced by other recent sell-outs, including:

The Transformers: Infiltration TPB. A second printing is on press right now.
Transformers Spotlight: Hot Rod
The Transformers: Escalation issues 2 and 4

Additionally, IDW has seen a spate of other titles sell out completely, too:

Zombies vs Robots issues 1 and 2
Ashley Wood's Grande Finale 1st and 2nd Printings
All issues of 24: Nightfall
Sparrow: Phil Hale

Issue 3 of Transformers: the Official Movie Prequel will be in stores on April 11. Issue 4 is set for May 2. Following that miniseries, IDW will release Transformers: The Official Movie Adaptation, by Kris Oprisko and Alex Milne, as a weekly comic book throughout the month of June. With both those projects in stores a month ahead of the movie itself, fans will find themselves fully armed as they head in to see the big-screen spectacle.

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About IDW Publishing

IDW PUBLISHING is a division of Idea and Design Works, LLC, a revolutionary creative service company with a wide range of clients. Among their best-selling titles are Hasbro's THE TRANSFORMERS; Fox's ANGEL, Konami's METAL GEAR SOLID, and FALLEN ANGEL. IDW's 30 DAYS OF NIGHT film is in development and will be released by Sony Pictures in October 2007. IDW has films in development at Dimension Films and Paramount Pictures, as well.

About The Hasbro Properties Group

The Hasbro Properties Group (HPG), the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc., (NYSE:HAS), translates one of the industry's richest portfolios of brands into a world of fun and excitement for children and adults globally. Through a host of publishing, digital media, lifestyle and entertainment platforms, HPG is able to surround fans worldwide with consumer products that expand Hasbro's core brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY, G.I. JOE, TONKA and PLAYSKOOL.

[jgilkinson]

Glad ive already got mine

[Bed Bugs]

I'm glad I got mine too.

[Leonardo]

Shoot, I can only pick these things up at weekends. I hope they don't start to disappear on day of release.

[Barricade]

Shoot, I can only pick these things up at weekends. I hope they don't start to disappear on day of release.

they did at the comic book store i go to....... the clerk there know what i look for so he saves me a copy on release day but last time i went a hour after they were put on the shelves all the 2nd editions were sold..... except mine

[Nemesis_Apoc]

solid. glad i'm subscribed

[Kayevcee]

I had to stop picking this up since the new UK comic will be reprinting the story and there's no sense in me buying it twice. I don't think my comic shop will struggle to sell the copy I would have bought

I heartily recommend Zombies vs Robots by the way, for Ryall's sheer off-the-wall humour and Wood's unorthodox and fun approach to sequential storytelling. Two issues is a bit short for a trade, but if they ever release a collected volume I do recommend picking it up.

-Nick

[osiricon]

I just went today to get both of them. I must of gotten lucky!! Thank the AllSpark!! I also picked up Spotlight: Soundwave. All great books.

[Archanubis]

Glad I have a subscription

[Covenant]

Curious! How many issues sold total? Surely that number must be known if all issues are sold out?

[Denyer]

Diamond are very cagey about giving out figures, hence the rigmarole with reverse-engineering them from rankings and calculating on the basis of Batman.

On the other hand, I'd guess the prequel may well have bigger print runs than the other books by quite some margin, especially when you consider the interest shown by Titan in the UK and deals to get TPBs of it into more general interest stores.

[Dclone Soundwave]

Really? Sold out? Echobase seemed to have a steady suply of #1 & 2. Only thing I couldn't find was Art of War 1-3. I saw tons of Movie Prequels though...............

[Darth Bombshell]

And word on when the TPB of the Prequel will be out? My birthday's in May, and I can't imagine it'll be too long after that.

[Mr.RobotoAutoMan]

ive already got mine :D cant wait for the 3rd issue. better have ---->

*SPOILER*


bumblebee better be doing some runnning by S7 while been shot at.

[jonusjaxon]

I don't want to wait until the TPB comes out so I just snagged issues 1 & 2 on eBay.

[tequila stu]

get the comic book guy to keep back all

[Denyer]

And word on when the TPB of the Prequel will be out? My birthday's in May, and I can't imagine it'll be too long after that.

June. Probably towards the end if you order from Amazon, maybe earlier from a store.

[Ninja Sixshot]

no. i cant find any comics, so it really doesnt matter to me

[derob]

free prequel this may? how true? http://www.freecomicbookday.com/

[Phoenix_306]

I wouldn't worry too much about shops selling out - ebay is crawling with copies. And in terms of demand to put things in perspective, the recent release of Buffy Season Eight #1 sold out completely in shops too, but it's secondary market value is three to four times that of the prequel issues. Are there more Buffy fans than TF fans?

PS I'm not really a Buffy fan, but the GF is - and we are both TF fans!

[Denyer]

free prequel this may? how true? http://www.freecomicbookday.com/

It's only the first issue of four.

[Darth Bombshell]

Are there more Buffy fans than TF fans?

Probably.

[hitmbig]

Could always download the comics if you're not able to buy them.

I thought they were okay. The S7 portions and with the video from the S7 site are pretty cool story in themselves.