The Energon Pub

[Va'al]

We've seen that image in the latest batch of solicitations, I believe, and IDW keep saying that it does feed into MTMTE - but that McCarthy interview confuses that point, as he claims he isn't working with Roberts at all, but only Barber. Hmm.

[Dead Metal]

We've seen that image in the latest batch of solicitations, I believe, and IDW keep saying that it does feed into MTMTE - but that McCarthy interview confuses that point, as he claims he isn't working with Roberts at all, but only Barber. Hmm.

Ah Ok, didn't know, I don't follow the solicitations anymore, I have a subscription for the tpbs.

Well, my guess is that idw commissioned this series to tie directly into MTMTE, but McCarthy doesn't bother to communicate with the other people working with the cannon because that's they way he works. And now that all the promo material has already been printed (the Previews catalog was likely being printed before actual work on the series actually started) it's too late for any changes made to the promotional material.

Anyway, this does not bode well, idw was winning me over with all the work they put into fixing the universe post Ongoing. But this along with McCarthy's interview really puts me off of continuing to read the tpbs. It just makes it look like they don't give a toss about their own continuity anymore and let random writers do what ever the hell they want now. I'll wait for reviews of this series, if there are continuity errors in it and the reviews point out that it connects badly to MTMTE, then, well, I'll use the TF tpb money instead to buy Sandman tpbs and get through that series faster than I currently am.

[Va'al]

And finally, are you ready for the return of your average Decepticon gunman turned Autobot swordsman with a spiritualist tendency? IDW Publishing has you covered this week! Find out below a full preview for the first issue of Drift: Empire of Stone, and head back to Seibertron.com for a review later this week!

Transformers: Drift: Empire of Stone #1 (of 4)—SPOTLIGHT
Shane McCarthy (w) • Guido Guidi (a) • Alex Milne (c)
DRIFT RETURNS! Last year, TRANSFORMERS readers were shocked when DRIFT left the AUTOBOTS in disgrace… and now he’s alone, on a mission to clean up the darkest depths of the galaxy—until RATCHET shows up to try to bring him home!
FC • 32 pages • $3.99

Bullet points:
The creative team behind the classic—and best-selling—All Hail Megatron return to the character they introduced!
Ties directly in to the ongoing MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE series!
The fan-favorite character from the big screen returns to where he started—the comics page!
Artist’s Edition Variant cover by Guido Guidi!

[Nemesis Maximo]

Yay. Drift. Whoopy.

I'm not sure I'll get this; on one hand, I've all of the IDW stuff since "Death of Optimus Prime".on the other, it's about Drift.

Also, was he really a fan favorite? Not that I'm bashing anybody for liking him, I just thought he was more divisive of a character when he was introduced. Maybe I'm just remembering it wrongly...

[Shuttershock]

Yay. Drift. Whoopy.

I'm not sure I'll get this; on one hand, I've all of the IDW stuff since "Death of Optimus Prime".on the other, it's about Drift.

Also, was he really a fan favorite? Not that I'm bashing anybody for liking him, I just thought he was more divisive of a character when he was introduced. Maybe I'm just remembering it wrongly...

He was divisive when he started, mainly because he was hyped out the ass for All Hail Megatron (but then, that book had a lot of other problems) and didn't really live up to anything beyond "super cool sword guy doing awesome things".

Roberts' tenure with the character has been more favorably received, mainly by actually giving him a character with flaws and ideals. Of course, now McCarthy (the AHM writer) is doing this book, so it's hard to say if we'll see the return of "Drift Do'Urden" or if he's learned something from his early work.

[zodconvoy]

Yay. Drift. Whoopy.

I'm not sure I'll get this; on one hand, I've all of the IDW stuff since "Death of Optimus Prime".on the other, it's about Drift.

Also, was he really a fan favorite? Not that I'm bashing anybody for liking him, I just thought he was more divisive of a character when he was introduced. Maybe I'm just remembering it wrongly...

He was divisive when he started, mainly because he was hyped out the ass for All Hail Megatron (but then, that book had a lot of other problems) and didn't really live up to anything beyond "super cool sword guy doing awesome things".

Roberts' tenure with the character has been more favorably received, mainly by actually giving him a character with flaws and ideals. Of course, now McCarthy (the AHM writer) is doing this book, so it's hard to say if we'll see the return of "Drift Do'Urden" or if he's learned something from his early work.

If TL/DR:

Drift sucked, got better, not sure if sucks again.

[Optimizzy]

I'll read it BECAUSE of Roberts development...but I suspect that he will revert to "seethes with generic rage" levels of mediocrity pretty soon. I'm just not confident in McCarthy's writing.

[Optimizzy]

durn double post. sorry.

[Nemesis Maximo]

I'll read it BECAUSE of Roberts development...but I suspect that he will revert to "seethes with generic rage" levels of mediocrity pretty soon. I'm just not confident in McCarthy's writing.

Thi is how I feel. I have a smpall hope, however, that with Ratchet in it, they'll keep that interesting relationship going. And anyway, the solicitation for January showed RID Megatron will have a part. So maybe that'll be cool.

[JazZeke]

If TL/DR:

Drift sucked, got better, not sure if sucks again.

This. Very much this.

[Down_Shift]

After Regeneration One that's all I can see

[Zeedust]

Bleh. That's really what they're going with? That's seriously what someone thinks will hook readers and make Drift as popular as they try to pretend he is?

Forget this. If I want to read about a sword-wielding Transformer who had the fanbase in an uproar, I'll wait for the Windblade ongoing. (Though that wait might kill me.)

[JazZeke]

Bleh. That's really what they're going with? That's seriously what someone thinks will hook readers and make Drift as popular as they try to pretend he is?

Forget this. If I want to read about a sword-wielding Transformer who had the fanbase in an uproar, I'll wait for the Windblade ongoing. (Though that wait might kill me.)

Yeah, our major gripe with Drift is he's all swordplay and no personality, so they show us... all swordplay and no characterization.

[Nemesis Maximo]

Bleh. That's really what they're going with? That's seriously what someone thinks will hook readers and make Drift as popular as they try to pretend he is?

Forget this. If I want to read about a sword-wielding Transformer who had the fanbase in an uproar, I'll wait for the Windblade ongoing. (Though that wait might kill me.)

Yeah, our major gripe with Drift is he's all swordplay and no personality, so they show us... all swordplay and no characterization.

What? Honor Badass McStabbin isn't enough personality/characterization? Since when?

[Shuttershock]

Bleh. That's really what they're going with? That's seriously what someone thinks will hook readers and make Drift as popular as they try to pretend he is?

Forget this. If I want to read about a sword-wielding Transformer who had the fanbase in an uproar, I'll wait for the Windblade ongoing. (Though that wait might kill me.)

Yeah, our major gripe with Drift is he's all swordplay and no personality, so they show us... all swordplay and no characterization.

What? Honor Badass McStabbin isn't enough personality/characterization? Since when?

I dub thee "Drift DoUrden". Go forth and be an invincible smirking killing machine who's just so cool you guys.

[Nemesis Maximo]

Bleh. That's really what they're going with? That's seriously what someone thinks will hook readers and make Drift as popular as they try to pretend he is?

Forget this. If I want to read about a sword-wielding Transformer who had the fanbase in an uproar, I'll wait for the Windblade ongoing. (Though that wait might kill me.)

Yeah, our major gripe with Drift is he's all swordplay and no personality, so they show us... all swordplay and no characterization.

What? Honor Badass McStabbin isn't enough personality/characterization? Since when?

I dub thee "Drift DoUrden". Go forth and be an invincible smirking killing machine who's just so cool you guys.

At Drift's IDW Office

Scene: Drift meditates on the floor.

Enter Office Aid #1: Beg pardon, Drift-San. <Bow>. Many Anime Characters have called; they want back their mojo.

Exit Office Aid #1 Stage Left.

[Va'al]

Another Fine Mess
(Spoiler free-ish)

Synopsis
DRIFT RETURNS! Last year, TRANSFORMERS readers were shocked when DRIFT left the AUTOBOTS in disgrace… and now he’s alone, on a mission to clean up the darkest depths of the galaxy—until RATCHET shows up to try to bring him home!

These guys

Story

Imagine: you're an ex Decepticon, who used to kill people for fun. Then you grew a conscience. So you traded guns for swords (that famous instrument of peace). Then you grew a bit too much of a conscience, and tried burying guilt beneath it and a veil of reborn spiritualism - and by ways of redemption, take the blame for something you didn't actually do, and are exiled. That's where we are with Drift, as Empire of Stone begins.

Right here

It's been some time since we saw him in action, other than flashbacks, and readers have been wary of the return of a character who has been fairly marmite-esque (that's British for divisive). What we find with this first issue back in Shane McCarthy's hands, is thankfully not a return to the character when he first introduced it, though some will complain it can feel that way in places.

Some fan

Compared to other Transformers comics coming out this week, Empire of Stone is a lot slower in terms of narrative, though it does stand up quite well with the dialogue, and the chemistry between sulky Drift and grumpy Ratchet works nicely. And, as a set-up/catch-up issue, it does what it has to do without wandering too much around.

Honestly, these guys

However, that's about it so far. It's not a bad comic, the story can go in a very interesting direction with the next three issues, and Empire of Stone is a catchy enough title for a popular enough character like Drift - but I can see how it might not be on everyone's immediate buying list as yet. Still.. read on.


Art

The art team is really where the book, much like ReGeneration One before it, will gain traction with potential readers. Guido Guidi's linework and Stephen Baskerville's inking are a great combination, and the action sequences are very well choreographed, with the sword element added to the fights gives space to Guidi's art to play around with the space of and around the panels.

...ready?

Also back from the ReGen team is colourist JP Bove, doing an amazingly dusty and gritty (in the soil, dirt sense) job of the patina covering some otherwise quite flamboyant roboformers. I will never tire of looking at Guidi backgrounds filled in with Bove's technicolour magic, and there are some excellent sets in the issue.

Drift in spaaaaaace

Unfortunately, the review copy does not fully credit the letterer or editors for the issue, and has some general technical difficulties in the credit page layouts - nonetheless, The Unknown Letterer's work is, while very very subtle, pleasingly appropriate, keeping dialogue in place and a limited amount of background noise. As for the covers, we've seen all of them by now throughout the last couple of months, from the Alex Milne/Josh Perez one to the multiple Guidi variants (including the thumbnail one).


Thoughts
Spoilerish ahead

As a first issue, and as I mentioned above, Drift: Empire of Stone #1 is a harmless, easily paced, fairly well-dialogued and definitely good looking book, preparing a stage that so far has very little impact on the wider universe of the Transformers, but according to solicits may change everything - again.

Is it? Is it really?

It does little more than that, however, other than re-establishing the at times quite moving relationship between Ratchet and Drift, and hopefully diving into more of Drift's story from this point onwards, as well as the presence of the Cybertronians we do find in the issue. Needless to say, I remain hopeful.

. out of

[Hans]

Not a Drift fan, but I'll be picking this up for the art. I love the Guidi, Baskerville and Bove art team

[jogunwarrior]

the art is pretty good, I like the "sketchiness" of it. Don't care for the writing though. The narration is terrible and the dialogue seems so generic and too familiar.

[SW's SilverHammer]

Mayhem Sucks.

[Shuttershock]

Mayhem Sucks.

Soul of a poet, that one.

[AudioKnightsTheatre]

This comment isn't *just* a shameless plug; it's actually relevant to the conversation. I actually voice Drift on the MTMTE audio drama that I produce with other Audio Knights. In getting into character, I researched what made Drift the character he is. Reading all the stuff in the IDW verse, from his time as the Decepticon Deadlock to his stint on the Lost Light, to his siphonist burnout days in the Shadowplay series, I learned a very important thing.

Drift is a junkie. An addict.

Drift finds something to do, to believe in, and he adopts it wholeheartedly, to the point of distraction and, in many cases, to the point of harming himself. As a Decepticon, he thought his role was to punish and kill Autobots. He did his job with such overzealousness that even his superiors wanted him to tone down his brutality. But he couldn't stop, and eventually got "kicked out" for disobeying orders. He left and never looked back(til this issue).

On the Lost Light, he believed so much in the mission Rodimus had set forth(even the secret one concerning Overlord), he had such religious fanaticism to the cause and espoused so much positivity(because that's what he thought it meant to be an Autobot), and when he got kicked out of THAT, even with Ratchet's welcome, he had already moved on.

We've seen his drug addiction in the Shadowplay series. His addiction is obvious there. It seems he's left that behind too.

And now he's out on his own, defending the weak against bullies - this is his new and latest mission, and he has devoted himself whole-hog to this newest obsession. You'll notice Drift has a trigger reaction to most everything. He doesn't leave room for thinking or questions; he just ACTS. He has already decided his stance and doesn't let others talk him out of it. These are classic signs of an addict-to-burnout cycle which he's constantly in.

Drift drifts from place to place carrying his addictive, obsessive nature with him.

I, for one, enjoy playing his character. I can identify with backing a cause and that listless feeling when you feel lost. He's a joy to portray and I hope you guys will give our project a listen! Grab MTMTE issues 1-4 and listen along! www.TheAudioKnightsTheatre.com

[Va'al]

Yes, Drift is an addict, and we've seen him almost outright admitting his by now inextricable guilt at what he did, was and could be if left unchecked.

But this first issue did very little in explaining why he has returned to the loner style, if he is still following his faith (whatever that may be) or if he's had a crisis, and where that leads him. It does little of what you outline in the post, which is what I'd like to see in a story that follows a potentially poignant character with a deep storyline hiding beneath the fancy paintwork.

As I said in the review, I am hopeful for next month, but I'm not waiting with baited breath.

[Dead Metal]

So far this series doesn't seem to be too continuity breaking, only having two flubs according to tfwiki, which does seam to suggest that McCarthy's slowly improving.
But, let's just wait and see how the upcoming issues fare.

[Va'al]

More quick IDW Publishing news, in the form of three more pages from an upcoming Transformers comic. This time, it's issue #2 of the Drift: Empire of Stone miniseries. Check out the mirrored images below, via iTunes bookstore!

ONCE A DECEPTICON! DRIFT’s past comes back to haunt him, as RATCHET tries to drag him back to the Lost Light. But alone on a far-off world, DRIFT’s honor demands he stand his ground!