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Without giving too much away, what exactly is Deviations?

Deviations is, basically, a look at some of the bigger properties we publish, all of which have had many big, notable moments in their history, where we explore a divergent path in those storylines.

What led to you wanting to do this type of event?

All of the titles that make up this 5-week event have featured stories that have led to fun fan debates over what might have happened if a big event had gone another way, whether in past comics, TV series, or movies. So this is taking a big, fan-favorite moment and spinning that story in another direction to explore what could’ve been.

What series will be involved?

The series, and the catalyst for the stories, are:

Ghostbusters: “In a world… where the Ghostbusters NEVER crossed streams!”
G.I. JOE: “In a world… where COBRA turns the table on G.I. JOE.”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: “In a world… where Shredder leads the Turtles.”
Transformers: “In a world… where Optimus Prime never died!”
The X-Files: “In a world… where young Fox Mulder was abducted by aliens!”

What’s your favorite “What If…” comic?

I was always a big fan of Frank Miller’s take on “What If Elektra Had Lived?” from the original series. In most of those old comics, the “what-if” story always ended far worse for the characters than in the regular series. Whether that was just to do big, explosive things in those comics or to assure readers things like “See? It’s much better that Phoenix DID die,” they usually all ended very badly. Miller’s Elektra tale, not so much—he took things in another direction entirely, and handled it all in unique fashion. Which is the goal here—anyone can play “what if?” games with stories but we’re really striving for these comics to do surprising, unexpected things. And who knows, if they go over well enough, maybe they could lead to entirely new series of this divergent timeline.

ZeroWolf wrote:Now this is an interesting idea. Though I can see it ending badly for prime as galvatron would if still arrived to try and grab the matrix and if they weren't on junkion, probably wouldn't be as easy to piece prime back together though at least hot rod would of got less hate.


Come to think of it, this might go more along the lines of the original concept for the movie and transform cybertron to battle unicron. ..

In March, IDW Publishing is revisiting classic moments from it's most popular franchises in a series of thematic one-shots subtitled "Deviations," and for the Transformers it doesn't get any bigger than the original Transformers: The Movie. Transformers: Deviations revisits the classic G1 era to ask "what if Optimus Prime didn't die and was there to stand against Unicron?"

Transformers: Deviations is by writer Brandon Easton and veteran Transformers artist Priscilla Tramantano, and we spoke to them about this unique opportunity -- and oh yeah, we talk about that epic soundtrack as well.

Newsarama: Brandon, what is Transformers: Deviations about?

Brandon Easton: This is a spin on the extremely popular alternate universe concept seen in sci-fi stories and graphic novels for decades. The idea that we get to peek into a different continuity where events took a strange turn and a whole new reality is born is difficult to resist. In Transformers Deviations, we speculate on the one of the biggest moments in Transformers history – the death of Optimus Prime from the classic Transformers: The Movie (1986).

The story explores the events of the original Generation One Transformers timeline if Optimus Prime had not been critically injured by Megatron in their fateful battle in Autobot City. Anyone who knows the movie and the subsequent stories from the third season of the classic TV series knows that Optimus’ death was a central point in the saga and if he survives a wholly divergent and complex wall of dominoes tumble erratically. We get a universe that deviates from the original timeline in a very interesting way.

So in a nutshell, it’s “What if Optimus Prime survived?”

[...]

Nrama: Who are the characters that take center stage in this one?

Easton: Without ruining too much, I will say that Optimus, Hot Rod and Starscream get a lot of “screen time.” There’s a lot more I could say, but I’d rather have people check out the book when it hits the stores.

Tramontano: Grimlock is a favorite of mine and he plays a big part in the movie so it'll be cool to revisit that. But I'm looking forward to the Starscream coronation gag. It´s such an iconic scene, probably my favorite scene out of the 1986 movie, and I want to see how fans will react to this new spin Brandon gave to it!

Nrama: And is there anyone you wish you could have drawn but didn't?

Tramontano: Well, I love Galvatron but sadly he won't be in this.

[...]

Nrama: This is an interesting concept -- the idea of an alternate history. What does this offer for you two as a writer and artist respectively, and do you see potential for doing it more with Transformers?

Tramontano: As a fan, it's very common for us to play within established universe, drawing fan art, writing fanfics and so on. Imagining what could have been if something had happened differently is part of the fun. I like this idea a great deal. Now, as an artist, things get more complicated because you're dealing with something that people love with all their hearts and you have to be able to tell them you're not trying to replace the original material but just add a new version. I sincerely hope people are open-minded about this book and like the result. Reading Brandon's script, I know I did (as an artist and as a fan).

Easton: Alternate history stories are a sub-genre of speculative fiction and they’re great ways to explore socio-political concepts without alienating readers. I would point to the works of Harry Turtledove or Bryce Zabel to see some compelling takes on how different the world would be if a critical moment in history went in another direction.

Personally, as a writer of speculative fiction and a former U.S. History teacher, I adore alternate histories because they allow us to engage in a different kind of world-building exercise that forces us to work within grounded constraints while still pushing the boundaries of what is/was possible.

bluecatcinema wrote:Things may actually have gone worse if Prime lived. Galvatron was stronger than Megatron, so he'd have the edge on OP in a straight fight (not to mention Optimus would have still been pretty banged up from the battle with Megatron). Galvatron could have torn right through him and taken the Matrix.

o.supreme wrote:Still to your point, and my fanfic idea, things will probably go bad, but not for the reason you are thinking.

o.supreme wrote:

bluecatcinema wrote:Things may actually have gone worse if Prime lived. Galvatron was stronger than Megatron, so he'd have the edge on OP in a straight fight (not to mention Optimus would have still been pretty banged up from the battle with Megatron). Galvatron could have torn right through him and taken the Matrix.

There would have been no Galvatron, because Prime would have killed Megatron. Sure Unicron could have resurrected him as he did the dead seekers and insecticons, but its doubtful the Autobots would have allowed Soundwave to collect Megatrons body if he was already dead, (since they would not have been rushing to Optimus' aid).

Still to your point, and my fanfic idea, things will probably go bad, but not for the reason you are thinking.

Rodimus Prime wrote:Megatron still gets away and gets reformatted.

Tramontano: Well, I love Galvatron but sadly he won't be in this.

o.supreme wrote:

Rodimus Prime wrote:Megatron still gets away and gets reformatted.

That's the beauty of this "what if Story". Megatron dies, and is not taken away to be recreated by Unicron.