The Energon Pub

Plus, we haven't got the calibre of writers of the original show at IDW.

With the limited media of Beast Wars IE Toyline or show. Basically if it didn't come from one or the other, it is forever a mystery and open to speculation.

Personally, I thought the culture of the Maximals and Predacon Alliance was the main draw of unexplored lore. Everything that mattered regarding the Golden Disc theft was addressed in The Agenda.

Sabrblade wrote:Though, two stories set in the cartoon's world did show the Golden Disk heist and Megatron's escape to the past. The heist was seen in 2007's "Theft of the Golden Disk" animated short produced by Octavirate Entertainment, and the escape was seen 2006's "Dawn of Future's Past" comic book produced by Fun Publications and later included in Shout! Factory's 2011 Complete Series DVD release of the cartoon.

I've got the mini comic from the BW dvd set but I never knew about "Theft". Just watched and thoroughly enjoyed it in all of its outdated glory. Thanks for sharing.

Sabrblade wrote:

TOO MUCH ENERGON! wrote:Personally, I want to know more about the leadup to Megatron organizing his crew of cronies and stealing the golden disc. We're rewatching through the series right now and that part of the show is a big mystery. The relationship between Dinobot and Megatron and why they harbour such animosity toward one another is just aching to be explored.

Unfortunately, this will be a different continuity from the cartoon.

It may go into that, or it may not. But it won't have any bearing on the cartoon's story or its version of the characters.

That's fine. I still want to see this period explored, regardless.

Sabrblade wrote:and the escape was seen 2006's "Dawn of Future's Past" comic book produced by Fun Publications and later included in Shout! Factory's 2011 Complete Series DVD release of the cartoon.

The 15th anniversary edition boxed set? I actually own that!

TOO MUCH ENERGON! wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

TOO MUCH ENERGON! wrote:Personally, I want to know more about the leadup to Megatron organizing his crew of cronies and stealing the golden disc. We're rewatching through the series right now and that part of the show is a big mystery. The relationship between Dinobot and Megatron and why they harbour such animosity toward one another is just aching to be explored.

Unfortunately, this will be a different continuity from the cartoon.

It may go into that, or it may not. But it won't have any bearing on the cartoon's story or its version of the characters.

That's fine. I still want to see this period explored, regardless.

Sabrblade wrote:and the escape was seen 2006's "Dawn of Future's Past" comic book produced by Fun Publications and later included in Shout! Factory's 2011 Complete Series DVD release of the cartoon.

The 15th anniversary edition boxed set? I actually own that!

Excellent. Then you have access to both pieces of the story of how Megatron stole the Golden Disk and betrayed his mentor who was the actual mastermind behind the heist: the crime boss known as Cryotek.

BleedingCool.com has an article about IDW February 2021 solicits and the new Beast Wars comic is part of it.

DEC200412
(W) Erik Burnham (A/CA) Josh Burcham
Celebrating 25 years of Beast Wars! In the future, the planet Cybertron belongs to the scientific-minded Maximals and the action-oriented Predacons! When a crew of Predacons, led by the successor to the Megatron name, steal a golden disk and a ship capable of traveling through time, it's up to Optimus Primal and his Maximal crew – Rattrap, Rhinox, Cheetor, and new character Nyx – to catch them! A brand-new Beast era begins in an oversized first issue by Erik Burnham (Ghostbusters, Transformers/Ghostbusters) and Josh Burcham (Transformers, Transformers Galaxies), yesssss!
In Shops: Feb 03, 2021
SRP: $5.99

The third cover has decent art, at least. So basically, from that synopsis we are going back to the plot of the pilot episode, plus one superfluous character? What an original and necessary addition to the Beast Era: Reruns

Why isn't this on the main news list?

Because we normally news all the solicits together, and I haven't been able to get to it till now

I'm loving the artwork of the covers, except for that one...

Click the pic for full detailed size.

https://twitter.com/IDWPublishing/status/1347649317293711363

SNEAK PEEK: 2021
A look inside Transformers: Beast Wars #1 by @erikburnham and @jcburcham.

The Tripredacus Council look pretty good.

Thanks to fellow Seibertronian Sabrblade for letting us know of a sneak peek IDW provided for the upcoming Beast Wars comic. Their tweet shows the the Tripredacus council will be featured. And better yet, they are still very much into red mood lighting.

Here is the summary for the book as well:

Celebrating 25 years of Beast Wars! In the future, the planet Cybertron belongs to the scientific-minded Maximals and the action-oriented Predacons! When a crew of Predacons, led by the successor to the Megatron name, steal a golden disk and a ship capable of traveling through time, it’s up to Optimus Primal and his Maximal crew – Rattrap, Rhinox, Cheetor, and new character Nyx – to catch them! A brand-new Beast era begins in an oversized first issue by Erik Burnham (Ghostbusters, Transformers/Ghostbusters) and Josh Burcham (Transformers, Transformers Galaxies), yesssss!

SNEAK PEEK: 2021
A look inside Transformers: Beast Wars #1 by @erikburnham and @jcburcham.

This looks very interesting. Yeeesssssss? I wonder if Nyx will be as important and long lasting as Rubble.

Mr.MicroMaster wrote:This looks very interesting. Yeeesssssss? I wonder if Nyx will be as important and long lasting as Rubble.

how very animated. i like.

william-james88 wrote:

Mr.MicroMaster wrote:This looks very interesting. Yeeesssssss? I wonder if Nyx will be as important and long lasting as Rubble.

I’m excited to check this series out but I really don’t like the art style.

Looks like the Maximals aren't the only ones getting a new character:

https://twitter.com/erikburnham/status/1349553727993241603

He looks like Snapper. But purple.

TOO MUCH ENERGON! wrote:He looks like Snapper. But purple.

I was going to make a comment about Snapper on another forum, but then many people had come in before me and basically , preemptively were criticizing anyone who asked "Why not Snapper", so I decided not to even bother, perhaps here there will be a more even handed discussion ?

Anyway. I'm not going to draw a line in the sand and say new characters shouldn't/can't be made. However...I do recognize that in the world of Transformers, when only a fraction of the characters are usually given character developments in media, there is a wealth to pull from, so the need for New characters isn't as necessary I guess you could say? Having read (and subsequently sold off), the first 13 year continuity of IDW, there's not one single made up character specifically for IDW that I cared for, yet there were dozens from the original series that I wish had appeared in more than the occasional background group shot.

I actually was quite fond of the first BW series (Gathering & Ascending), as it did just this; make some use of the many dozens of BW characters along with familiar faces to develop a new story. I know this new IDW iteration is going in a completely new direction, but it's just food for thought. Why dig a new well when the one you have still has plenty of water left in it?

Not bad. I like the name, too.

Personally, I'm all for new characters and I loved IDW’s additions, the same as the new additions that turn up in every iteration like Animated's Slipstream or Prime's Knockout.

Snapper has no characterisation within the wider Beast Era. So there really is no need to rename the only [non-Fuzor] Turtle Bot in the series, as a "new character". When purely through use, Snapper is essentially new regardless.

o.supreme wrote:

TOO MUCH ENERGON! wrote:He looks like Snapper. But purple.

I was going to make a comment about Snapper on another forum, but then many people had come in before me and basically , preemptively were criticizing anyone who asked "Why not Snapper", so I decided not to even bother, perhaps here there will be a more even handed discussion ?

Anyway. I'm not going to draw a line in the sand and say new characters shouldn't/can't be made. However...I do recognize that in the world of Transformers, when only a fraction of the characters are usually given character developments in media, there is a wealth to pull from, so the need for New characters isn't as necessary I guess you could say? Having read (and subsequently sold off), the first 13 year continuity of IDW, there's not one single made up character specifically for IDW that I cared for, yet there were dozens from the original series that I wish had appeared in more than the occasional background group shot.

I actually was quite fond of the first BW series (Gathering & Ascending), as it did just this; make some use of the many dozens of BW characters along with familiar faces to develop a new story. I know this new IDW iteration is going in a completely new direction, but it's just food for thought. Why dig a new well when the one you have still has plenty of water left in it?

It is kinda weird that they didn’t just go with Snapper since the design is inspired by him. With Nyx, I get it, and I think it’s kinda cool that they’re using the Batimus Primal design for a different character. But yeah, I’m with you. There were dozens of Beast Wars toys that were never used in the show, so if they’re going the full remake/retelling route, why not utilize some of them? Give me Wolfang, Cybershark, Polar Claw, Maniterror, Armordillo, and such.

Skold is a girl.

Josh Burcham wrote:The reactions are interesting, to say the least! xD

I go into it a tiny bit in a little interview in the back of issue 1 but as far as the designs go, they're absolutely done in a spirit of "homage." I cant speak for the precise reason why these two new fembots were added, other than they have their own character arcs planned/in mind and to add something new and fresh, but as for their designs they're [obviously] meant to resemble Bat Optimus Primal and Snapper. And thats all on me. I had some character breakdowns and what their alt modes were but the rest was on me and I thought it'd be fun to, in Nyx's case, make use of a design that never REALLY got any play in major BW media and for Skold to do it in honor of what happened to be my first Beast Wars toy Snapper! [and a bit of a Strika homage in there, as well] Think of her as the Tigatron to Snapper's Cheetor. They share the same basic design skeleton. Its not that weird. And she's definitely not inserted in there to replace Snapper. Should the books go on long enough maybe he'll show up! Who knows.

But I wanted their designs to FEEL as genuinely "Beast Wars" as I could so why not base them on some actual Beast Wars designs! That was my thinking, anyway

Josh Burcham wrote:And I absolutely, and likely selfishly, designed them this way so that kitbashes and customs would be a bit more easier to pull off. Cuz i'm greedy like that xD