The Energon Pub

IDW Publishing Editor in Chief, Chris Ryall, has updated his personal blog RyallTime with some new cover art from the IDW Universe.



Spotlight: Drift is set to hit comic store shelves in April 2009. The creation of All Hail Megatron writer Shane Mc Carthy and Casey Coller. Casey and Joana Lafuente bring Drift to life in this cover and an expected variant cover to be posted tomorrow.

See an upsized version, along with Chris' original post here.

very snake eyes esq, how they make a classics/universe type fig of him instead of a lousey tit

but hey going by current trends alot of people like tits

snake eyes, storm shadow not to be judgmental on this but reminds me of storm shadow there both white hes doing ninja pose either way i like this cover.

i like the ninja borthers in joe series.

that would great if hasbro does decide to make a figure out of this guy i buy him sure as long hes repaint of prowl that would look bad for this figure he needs to be made fro mthe ground up.

how many swords! 2 katanas(well maybe not katanas) & a dai katana,i thought he just had the dai! i love his shoulders 4 some reason.
dont know what it is about drift but i just dont see him as being very original,hes cool and everything,just seems alittle whats the word.....fanboiish...not really,just abit obvious
still me likey

After his massive entrance in the alst issue... hang on wait a sec, he was barely noticeable....

He needs some page time to make anyone really care about him, but every frame wasted on fleshing out Drift, is a frame that could be used to tell an actual story in AHM. This is where a Spotlight could have been well utilised rather than the empty Blurr Spotlight we were given.

It's pretty clear that AHM #6 is supposed to be Drift's coming out party.

If they drop the ball there then some real criticism can be levied.

IDW Publishing's Editor in Chief, Chris Ryall has posted the second "variant" cover for the upcoming Transformers Spotlight book: Drift. This second edition shows the IDW made character in both modes, with a backdrop reminiscent of the Japanese "Rising Sun", accentuating the ninja mystique that follows Drift.



Again this work was done by Casey Coller and the wonderful Joana Lafuente. Big ups to Chris Ryall for cutting short a night of fun on the town with Denton Tipton, Simon Furman and HASBRO reps to post this.

Check out Chris' original post with another enlarged version of the variant cover here.

My first thought was Storm Shadow. Looks kinda cool. I'll definantly check out the toy but I'll miss out on him in the comics cause TF comics suck and I don't read them.

Stuff the "ninja" mystery... how come Drift has an Earth based alt mode?

His Spotlight must take place on Earth.

However, in AHM #5 he has a definite Cybertronian form. They already have his Earth and Cybertronian modes designed.

It doesn't take much book time to make this guy an instant hit! When Kup orders everyone out of the fight and sends just one bot in (Drift) and his only back-up is one lone scientist up on a ledge with a sniper rifle, that speaks volumes. You know this guy is a bad-ass even before he drops the Decepticon. He's just like Snake-Eyes as far as the "cool" factor goes except with Drift we get to see his smirk before the 'Cons head and body part ways.
A slimmed down Perceptor with a sniper rifle is scary as hell, too...but in a good way!
It's unfortunate that there has been so much hatred towards this character. I have been enthusiastically pushing this character (on more than one thread) and for those who may get annoyed by this, all I can say is tough. There were several characters produced over the past few years that lots of folks loved that I really thought were crap. I didn't jump on the forums and start dumping all over those folks and their praise for this or that new figure. No Way. My approach is to stand behind my own favorite choice, Shout "Drift is #1"...and proudly hold up 1 finger!

T-Macksimus wrote:It doesn't take much book time to make this guy an instant hit! When Kup orders everyone out of the fight and sends just one bot in (Drift) and his only back-up is one lone scientist up on a ledge with a sniper rifle, that speaks volumes. You know this guy is a bad-ass even before he drops the Decepticon. He's just like Snake-Eyes as far as the "cool" factor goes except with Drift we get to see his smirk before the 'Cons head and body part ways.
A slimmed down Perceptor with a sniper rifle is scary as hell, too...but in a good way!
It's unfortunate that there has been so much hatred towards this character. I have been enthusiastically pushing this character (on more than one thread) and for those who may get annoyed by this, all I can say is tough. There were several characters produced over the past few years that lots of folks loved that I really thought were crap. I didn't jump on the forums and start dumping all over those folks and their praise for this or that new figure. No Way. My approach is to stand behind my own favorite choice, Shout "Drift is #1"...and proudly hold up 1 finger!

He sucks, his depute think that was supposed to make him look awesome just proved that Perceptor is a badass after Perceptor shot the Swarm thing I completely forgot about Shanebot em I mean Drift.

So no to canonized fan character that take up valuable story time of real characters.

Maybe if we had REAL characters with the brass bearings to do what needs to be done, they'd be worh cheering for. Drift has 'em, the re-vamped Perceptor has 'em but the rest of the herd is stilling hiding behind it's moral code. If I want to see that, I'll watch the cops on the street try to do their jobs with their hands bound by societies rules and regulations. Risk life and limb to slap the bad-guys on the hand and watch them walk away. Keep your spineless "real" characters. I've done Drifts job and I can tell you first hand, it's the only effective way to get results.

It's about time more of real life started imitating art!

T-Macksimus wrote:Maybe if we had REAL characters with the brass bearings to do what needs to be done, they'd be worh cheering for. Drift has 'em, the re-vamped Perceptor has 'em but the rest of the herd is stilling hiding behind it's moral code. If I want to see that, I'll watch the cops on the street try to do their jobs with their hands bound by societies rules and regulations. Risk life and limb to slap the bad-guys on the hand and watch them walk away. Keep your spineless "real" characters. I've done Drifts job and I can tell you first hand, it's the only effective way to get results.

It's about time more of real life started imitating art!

You do realize that all Drift did was behead one of the Swarm? As you let it sound as if he did something never before seen.
And if you haven't noticed yet, the series is "written" by the guy who invented Drift and of cause he'll let his fan character look good when compared to the real characters. And he's doing a poor job at that the recent announcement that there will be a miniseries taking place before AHM to extend and explain the events that lead to AHM just further proves my point.
McCartney just fails at writing, he has 12 issues to fill, so far we've had enough "story" for 2.5 issues done by a mediocre to good comic author. But this aint enough for McCartney as he needs another 4 issues that without a doubt will be just like the main series nothing more but a picture book.
So far "The Beast within" was a far more sophisticated and entertaining read then this.

I can't continue to defend my choice for getting behind this character (not like I should have to) unless I get my own story out there.
I don't care about his character development from this point forward, I don't care about if he never shows up in another book or has onee second of of screen time on a cartoon. He is a symbol to me, a metaphor, an example (however briefly portrayed) of what this world needs if it has a hope in hell of surviving! I've just spent close to 2 years doing something not unlike what Drift does. I've gone where the police couldn't and/or wouldn't go to do what they could not/would not do. I've done bad sh** to really bad people and just like "the Swarm", when you cut off ones head, another comes in to replace it. You get as many people out of harms way as you can (off the streets, off drugs, etc) then dive headlong back into the filth to keep fighting and try to save others. I've been in mortal danger and even held captive for a week. (this is right here in the States folks, I'm not in the military). People have died and thankfully, some have been saved, but if it weren't for skills and a mindset similar to that of Drift, fewer would be saved and I would be dead now. It sucks that this world has degraded to this degree and at times I feel like walking away and letting the filth have this world, but I have 2 sons that are going to inherit this world and I'll be damned if their corner of it is going to be a cesspool of drugs, thievery and lies! The path Fate has placed me on is not for everyone by any means and society may condemn what I do but if this species is to survive then, like it or not, this world needs people like me (and heroes like Drift) 'cause the decent, law abiding citizens will get eaten alive by people like the ones I deal with!

There! Now it's out there. I'm done trying to defend my choice to people who can't possibly understand the motivations behind it.
Do me one favor next time you folks are out and about...go up to a cop and thank him for what he is able to do and say a silent prayer for those of us who do what the cop can't cause I'm not alone out here. And if you choose not to buy a Drift figure or a Spotlight issue, then give the money instead to a local mission. Someone has to look after the people we save...

I have no idea what the hell you're talking about.
The way you let it sound is as if Drift was a unique character and a hero but he's not.
What you've described there, which sucks if that's you're life and it seems to confirm the vision I have of the USA, then it makes no sense to like Drift based on your description, if you want to admire a character that's the way you described it then go and admire Shattered Glass Megatron, The (real) Wreckers, Grinrai or Starsaber.
Drift was just following orders and is nothing like what you described.

No, he's not a hero. He's a tool. He's a last resort. He's something you don't want to have to acknowledge exsists until you have no choice but to use it. You pray that every other option pans out, that all the good and noble things that all of the other characters exemplify and embrace, come through. Those other guys are the heroes, those are the ones that the story builds on and it is their traits and interactions that are what drives the story and are designed to inspire hope and strength.
In the end, they will fail without guys like Drift! All I'm saying is that it is about damn time someone acknowledged that! In the whole TF multi-verse, G1 Mirage is the only character that I can recall as even coming close to filling that roll (don't even bring up the Dino-bots, they're comedy relief as far as I'm concerned).

And the U.S. isn't the only cesspool on this planet. I could find corruption in your country 5 minutes after I'm off the plane. Most people either don't know it's there or simply choose not to see it, but if I can find it and bring even one person out of it safely, then it is well worth the risks I take. Too many walk this Earth without hope and too many escape the full measure of justice. Bringing both to this world is a damn good reason to live, especially helping folks to find hope. That is it's own reward!

You know what I have a feeling I should stop talking to you.

It's o.k. this is my last post in this thread. I'm not here to offend you, I'm not here to scare people, I'm not some nut (despite how my postings may come across) and I don't want to cause issues with folks in this wonderful fan community. For you, being a Mod., to display such restraint and patience has shown incredible strength of character. I realize that I am responsible for effectively killing this thread and it has been nagging at me, but it was important for me to stand up for something close to my heart even if nobody else could understand or relate. (and I pray none of you ever have to)

Dead Metal, You are a good man and have handled me and this situation in an honorable manner. I've been approaching how I deal with the other topics on this site much differently because of this. To the rest of you following this thread, I appologize.

No need to apologize.
And I don't think I deserve the applause you gave me as I ended it kinda unpolite.