The Energon Pub

The metamorphosis into a major independent player was complete when IDW won comics command of an army of robots in disguise.

“It sounds very trite to say it this way, but the one that really feels transformative to the company is when we started doing the Transformers,” said Chris Ryall, IDW Publishing’s chief creative officer and editor in chief, who joined in 2004 and helped land the license the next year.

“People were going, ‘Wait a second, who is this little company in San Diego that was suddenly awarded this giant licensed property?’” Ryall said, noting that IDW won franchise creator Hasbro’s bidding process over larger and older publishers. This summer’s blockbuster movie “Transformers: Age of Extinction” included a character, Drift (voiced by Ken Watanabe), created in the company’s comics.

The editor, who has seen IDW’s monthly slate grow from about 10 titles a month to 60-70 titles a month in his decade at the company, and Adams both noted that, whether it’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” or “Godzilla” or “Star Trek,” the company doesn’t pursue licenses unless it has people on staff who are already fans of the franchises.

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Digital ventures are bringing people who rediscover comics on iPads and smartphones back into comic book stores, Adams said, citing anecdotal evidence and financial statements from IDW and other publishers that show print and digital revenues growing together over the last couple years. The company also is reaching out to kids in such stores as Target and Toys R Us with Micro Comic Fun Packs for its “My Little Pony” and “Transformers” titles that include sticker sheets and the like – an effort Adams said has been a hit, with more titles, including “Skylanders,” lined up.

ZeroWolf wrote:You do have to wonder who the other companies were...Imagine if one of themwas DC or Marvel again.

All in all though I'm glad IDW have had the success, we've been given a lot of good stories thanks to them...(along with bad ones like Avengers vs Transformers, All Hail Megatron)

1984forever wrote:This is what happens when rank amateurs get awarded a big licensed property.

I believe sexual favors were involved in the bidding process.

ZeroWolf wrote:

1984forever wrote:This is what happens when rank amateurs get awarded a big licensed property.

I believe sexual favors were involved in the bidding process.

You mean the amateurs are propelled into the big time? And succeed beyond their wildest dreams? Those lucky people, success stories like that aren't common in the comic world. As transformers fans we're lucky to have IDW.

Of course I reckon your comment was meant as an insult to IDW for not doing your ideas. Can't you just be happy for them? Transformers is thriving, we've got more complex stories, better figures and four live action movies. Now is a fantastic time to be a TF fan Can't we all just get along?

1984forever wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:

1984forever wrote:This is what happens when rank amateurs get awarded a big licensed property.

I believe sexual favors were involved in the bidding process.

You mean the amateurs are propelled into the big time? And succeed beyond their wildest dreams? Those lucky people, success stories like that aren't common in the comic world. As transformers fans we're lucky to have IDW.

Of course I reckon your comment was meant as an insult to IDW for not doing your ideas. Can't you just be happy for them? Transformers is thriving, we've got more complex stories, better figures and four live action movies. Now is a fantastic time to be a TF fan Can't we all just get along?

NO.

Dreamwave did a much better job sales and story wise.

ZeroWolf wrote:So what happened with Dreamwave? I wasn't collecting during that period.

Also you felt cheated at IDW first issue because they went somewhere new and not carry on the already silly old G1 universe (I'm talking cartoon here, still working through the marvel comics) I mean how dare IDW do something new with the property they fought hard for and has done wonders, like autobot Megatron for instance. They've also made mistakes like the all hail Megatron fiasco. But every company does that, DW obviously did and paid for it.

ZeroWolf wrote:I see so it took the cartoon continuity as a base timeline of sorts and used their personalitys.

As for Pat Lee, that's really bad. Sounds like the name of the company was quite apt, as everything did go swimmingly like a dream for a while.