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IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

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IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby Va'al » Fri Oct 09, 2015 11:17 am

Motto: "Till All Are Pun!"
Via Newsarama, covering pretty much all of the information revealed in today's NYCC 2015 IDW panel, we have an interview with current creative team on The Transformers ongoing series, as they explain what is about to happen in issue #50, and where the stories will lead after that turning point - starting with the All Hail Optimus arc.

There are some spoilers for the current series, so be warned before you continue to read some extracts below, and the full interview right here.

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Optimus Prime and the Autobots have always had a peaceful relationship with the people of Earth -- but in 2016 that's going to change.

In a new arc kicking off with February's Transformers #50, Optimus Prime is annexing Earth to be a part of Cybertron's Council of Worlds. Humanity is up in arms, not to mention the Decepticons, in this arc titled "All Hail Optimus."

Announced just before IDW Publishing's New York Comic-Con Panel "IDW & Top Shelf: Best Panel Of All Time", the creators of Transformers talked with Newsarama about this shocking event, from what it means to where it goes for the Robots in Disguise and the humans like you and I.

Newsarama: John, Andrew -- what can you tell readers about Transformers #50?

John Barber: Transformers #50 is the biggest thing we’ve done. It’s called "All Hail Optimus," and Optimus Prime annexes planet Earth to become to become part of Cybertron’s Council of Worlds—he takes control of Earth to protect it from invasion. Meanwhile, Optimus has thousands of Cybertronian followers who view him as the “True Prime”—they see him as having a power above any elected office, above any “normal” being—and now Optimus is using the power they’ve handed to him. And he’s using it for good—at least as far as he sees it. Not everybody agrees with him.

It’s a powerful move on Optimus Prime’s part, and one that there’s no moving back from. The humans know the Cybertronians are there, are among them, and the people of Earth are forced to become part of a cosmic community.

Andrew and I started working together about… six years ago? And we’ve never stopped. Most of that time’s been on this Transformers series, and this storyline brings together everything we’ve started. It’s amazing to get to work on something so big, and get to collaborate with somebody for so long. It’s been a long, great trip—and it’s about to get even better!

Andrew Griffith: Yeah, what's great to me about getting to this point is that while a landmark issue like #50 is usually a climax of a story, in our case it's the start of a new storyline that also serves as natural culmination of events that have been building in both Transformers and Windblade.

And I also see it as a bit of a landmark in my time working with John. So hard to believe we and colorist Josh Perez have made it to #50 as the core creative team along with Livio, Casey, Brendan, Guido, Sara and all of the other contributors to the series. Quite a feat in today's comics industry. And the same can be said of Transformers.

[...]

Nrama: Who's on Optimus' side in all this?

Barber: The team of Autobots on Earth—at least the ones who’ve survived to #50—are all with him, plus a new character named Aileron—she comes from Caminus and is amazing to be around this world of Primes and of grand cosmic events. Victorion—the new female Combiner we introduced this summer will be playing a big role. Is she on his side? That’s a complex answer. Sunstreaker will play a role, and so will the ancient Alpha Trion.

But his biggest supporters are the Colonists who’ve arrived on Cybertron, who’ve lived their whole lives thinking Primes were a myth—and now here they are standing on the same ground as one. And many are willing to do whatever he says—which isn’t something Optimus Prime has been comfortable with in the past.

Griffith: It's always nice to be able to draw familiar favorites like Optimus Prime, Sideswipe and Arcee. But it's even better sometimes to get to work with new characters to our book like Sunstreaker and Victorion. I know Josh and myself are particularly excited to get to help establish new characters like Aerlion, Victorion and the Torchbearers. I'm really happy that our cast can consist of childhood favorites like Optimus Prime while also embracing the newest and most diverse of characters to join the continuity.

Now the important question is: We have Sunstreaker coming up. What about Bob?

[...]

Nrama: John, I noticed Jonathan Hickman is listed as doing a cover. Can you talk about Hickman's involvement in the title and at IDW?

Barber: I’ve known Jonathan Hickman since he started writing comics, and he’s great—I love his writing, but I also love his drawing and his design sense. I talked to him at Comic-Con International: San Diego last summer, and he’d been doing some variant covers, and I asked if he’d do one for Transformers, and he said yes!

That’s all there really is to it, but years ago, I did make him listen to my Transformers plans in a bar. He’s probably blocked that memory out.

Griffith: Jonathan Hickman's doing a cover for our book? How rad is that? Can't wait to see it!
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby ZeroWolf » Fri Oct 09, 2015 11:42 am

Motto: "My past no longer binds my future..."
Weapon: Battle Blades
This is going to end very badly for prime, I can see it now. I wonder though, what part will Prowl play in this since won't this forthcoming conflict confirm what he was saying?
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby Starsaber468 » Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:16 pm

Motto: ""The universe deserves freedom, and I'll see that it gets it""
Weapon: Star Saber Sword
Man this is going to be neat but anyway wheres All Hail Galvatron? THE WORLD NEEDS MORE GALVATRON (Emgo316 reference)
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby D-Maximal_Primal » Fri Oct 09, 2015 1:20 pm

Motto: "There are no impossibilities in the multiverse, just small minds unable to comprehend the possibilities"
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Well, never saw that coming. More importantly, Who's gonna die???? My money is on Jazz or Sideswipe. Arcee and Kup must survive for SotW, Jetfire and Sky Lynx have toys, A3 will be in this story arc, so that leaves those unfortunate 2. If Sideswipe would die, it would makes things even more personal for Sunstreaker, and well we all remember what Jazz did :BOT:
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby ZeroWolf » Fri Oct 09, 2015 1:27 pm

Motto: "My past no longer binds my future..."
Weapon: Battle Blades
Is sins set after #50 though? But I reckon it's jazz who's going to silicon heaven...
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby D-Maximal_Primal » Fri Oct 09, 2015 1:31 pm

Motto: "There are no impossibilities in the multiverse, just small minds unable to comprehend the possibilities"
Weapon: Armor Axe
ZeroWolf wrote:Is sins set after #50 though? But I reckon it's jazz who's going to silicon heaven...

That would be my primary guess too, Sideswipe is just the runner up :BOT:
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby King Kuuga » Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:32 pm

Motto: "Yesssssssss....."
Weapon: High Energy MASER Cannons
It's hard for me to take these press releases seriously when they open with lines like "Optimus Prime and the Autobots have always had a peaceful relationship with the people of Earth." That's so wrong it's almost hilarious.
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby Flashwave » Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:50 pm

Motto: "Our society's downfall will not be this war. The war IS our society. That which will get us will be the little things. Some humanoid race, some tossed cannon, the little things that no one looks out for. THAT is for what we must be vigilant."
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That Bot wrote:It's hard for me to take these press releases seriously when they open with lines like "Optimus Prime and the Autobots have always had a peaceful relationship with the people of Earth." That's so wrong it's almost hilarious.

But its not wrong. Relatively speaking, its been pretty calm. The humans have opened fire on the Autobots, but not until Galvatron did it stay hostile. skywatchpartnered with the Autobots. When the Air Force attacked a UFO BACK IN Devastation, the Autobots didnt return fire. There was never oppression, minimal damage where possible, etc.
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Re: IDW Publishing Transformers All Hail Optimus - Interview

Postby o.supreme » Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:00 pm

Motto: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes"
Optimus Prime and the Autobots have always had a peaceful relationship with the people of Earth -- but in 2016 that's going to change.


The Autobots relationship with the people of earth has been turbulent for a while now. There has been mutual distrust, and trust regained at times, but it certainly goes back at least 5 or 6 years since the IDW began nearly 10 years ago.
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