Free Comic Book Day Interview with Alex Milne and John Barber!

Milne: I personally feel it's a good way to get into reading. For some people looking at a wall of text can be a little overwhelming, while a comic book adds a visual component to the mix which can help the reader understand more of what the story is trying to communicate without having to read a description. There are also so many comics out there today for people to enjoy with a vast multitude of stories. To me, it's an underrated medium that deserves more respect than it gets. It's an excellent way to tell stories and a tradition that should be preserved.

John Barber wrote: This is the end of the story we’ve been telling for over a decade. The IDW Transformers comics are the longest-lasting iteration Transformers characters ever—there’s more fiction in this universe than anywhere else in the history of the brand—and it all comes crashing down with Transformers: Unicron.

Deadput wrote:

John Barber wrote: This is the end of the story we’ve been telling for over a decade. The IDW Transformers comics are the longest-lasting iteration Transformers characters ever—there’s more fiction in this universe than anywhere else in the history of the brand—and it all comes crashing down with Transformers: Unicron.

If this doesn't sound like an end I don't know what does.

Deadput wrote:

John Barber wrote: This is the end of the story we’ve been telling for over a decade. The IDW Transformers comics are the longest-lasting iteration Transformers characters ever—there’s more fiction in this universe than anywhere else in the history of the brand—and it all comes crashing down with Transformers: Unicron.

If this doesn't sound like an end I don't know what does.

ZeroWolf wrote:Sounds a bit like hyperbole to be honest but it does help the reboot theories

ZeroWolf wrote:

Deadput wrote:

John Barber wrote: This is the end of the story we’ve been telling for over a decade. The IDW Transformers comics are the longest-lasting iteration Transformers characters ever—there’s more fiction in this universe than anywhere else in the history of the brand—and it all comes crashing down with Transformers: Unicron.

If this doesn't sound like an end I don't know what does.

Sounds a bit like hyperbole to be honest but it does help the reboot theories

Ironhidensh wrote:I'm too old to start over with a new continuity. Reboots, hard or soft, are why I no longer read any marvel or DC titles.

I just feel bummed by this whole thing.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:I'm too old to start over with a new continuity. Reboots, hard or soft, are why I no longer read any marvel or DC titles.

I just feel bummed by this whole thing.

It's the nature of the beast with licensed properties. Indie/creator owned books are the only ones that get build on their own terms.

ZeroWolf wrote:While I remember, on rereading the "suggested reading list" that idw put out a week or so ago, it mentioned in the little bit for tf v visionaries that "unicron is summoned" now have I missed something? I know that he was shown at the end of first strike but has anything been mentioned since?

ZeroWolf wrote:True, though spawn did hit that reboot button as well (though I can't remember if it was just a soft reboot)

Wouldn't it be nice if they took inspiration from a series like gundam and actually just made a new timeline up and kept what we had now but only added a couple of miniseries to it a year (or more depending on demand) this could free them up to make a new timelines up where they could get their creative freedom and if the universe was good it could stick around, if not then once it's finished you can forget about it. I know it's a bit confusing but I'm in a rush, but if planned properly you should be able to get things settled.

The TRANSFORMERS Bots Face Their Greatest Enemy Ever In This Summer’s Event Series
TRANSFORMERS: UNICRON
The First Chapter Launches On Free Comic Book Day

SAN DIEGO, CA (March 24th, 2018) – The fate of all worlds are at stake, as the world-eating menace Unicron has set his sights on Cybertron, home of the TRANSFORMERS robots, and next in line… EARTH! A bi-weekly six issue event titled TRANSFORMERS: UNICRON arrives this July and will bring about the end of the TRANSFORMERS universe as we know it. As Optimus Prime gathers his defense against this monstrous threat, it might be too little too late.

Veteran TRANSFORMERS creators John Barber (Optimus Prime) and Alex Milne (More Than Meets The Eye) are joined by colorist Sebastian Cheng (Revolution) to tell the epic conclusion to the current TRANSFORMERS comic book universe.

“TRANSFORMERS: UNICRON is a culmination of the years of TRANSFORMERS comics I've been a part of... and the conclusion of one of the longest continued narrative in TRANSFORMERS history” said Barber. “This is a story of heroism in the face of impossible odds; of a reckoning for an entire universe. I couldn't be luckier than to have Alex [Milne] right here with me on this—if you know Alex, you know nobody puts more into the TRANSFORMERS than he does, and nowhere before has he drawn drama, action, and pathos at this scale. Tying it all together is the incredible palette of Sebastian Cheng. We've never held back before on our TRANSFORMERS comics, but this time we're pushing ourselves—and each other—harder than ever.”

TRANSFORMERS mainstays from the past 12 years will be providing variant covers for the series, including Andrew Griffith, Nick Roche, and many more. Additionally, legendary comic artist Bill Sienkiewicz will be reinterpreting his classic cover to TRANSFORMERS #1 as a special variant, along with a new cover by Francesco Francavilla.

“TRANSFORMERS: UNICRON is a grand finale to the past 12 years of TRANSFORMERS comics at IDW and to really celebrate that and to celebrate the people who have made it such an amazing ride, we’re getting some amazing, beloved artists to contribute to what I'm sure will be our biggest—literally—TRANSFORMERS story ever,” said David Mariotte, Associate Editor. “This is an event years in the making and one that only works because of the years fans and creators have invested in the comic.”

The action kicks off on Free Comic Book Day, May 5th, with the #0 issue by the series creative; available for free at comic shops across the country. Don’t miss the world-ending first chapter of the summer’s cataclysmic event!

About IDW
IDW Media Holdings, Inc. (OCTQX: IDWM) is a fully integrated media company, which includes publishing, games, entertainment, and the San Diego Comic Art Gallery.

IDW Publishing’s comic book and graphic novel catalog includes some of the world’s most popular entertainment brands, including Transformers, My Little Pony, Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, and Disney’s classic characters. At IDW’s core is its commitment to creator-owned comics including 30 Days of Night, Locke & Key, Wormwood, Ragnarök, V-Wars, and Archangel by bestselling sci-fi author William Gibson.

IDW Publishing is also home to the acclaimed and award-winning imprints; Top Shelf, The Library of American Comics, Yoe! Books, and Artist Editions, showcasing the greatest original art ever published in American comic books.

IDW Games’ diverse line-up includes the international phenomenon Machi Koro, as well as hit licensed games such as X-Files, Back to the Future, The Godfather, and TMNT.

IDW Entertainment serves as the worldwide distributor of Wynonna Earp airing on the Syfy Channel in the U.S. and is producing BBC America’s Dirk Gently, based on the bestseller by Douglas Adams starring Elijah Wood and Samuel Barnett.

Randomhero wrote:Noooooooo.....don’t turn into a robot. It’s so much better if he was just a planet.

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:The design is certainly... Busy

Randomhero wrote:The remains of Cybertron are in his right hand

william-james88 wrote:Dont have long to write, just wanted to say that this is not the design I had in mind. I was hoping for something with less spikes. We will see how it goes, but this feels very 90s to me. I cant believe its drawn by Milne and not Mark Silvestri.

JazZeke wrote:I'm kind of in shock. This is affecting me more deeply than I thought it would. I mean, it feels like a shame to just throw out eight years’ worth of great continuity

partholon wrote:Starting to look like they're hedging their bets on losing the licence (who's contract is up the end of this year from what I've heard) and want to be able to tie everything up neatly.

It's certainly not looking like the usual "event" to me.

Tbh I'm conflicted. The ations and parts of MTMTE / rid were brilliant.

But by christ the recent stuff has suffered from pc tripe that's hit their quality. If it goes to another company or we get back to basics It could be the best thing to happen.

Silverwing wrote:

Randomhero wrote:The remains of Cybertron are in his right hand

Oh, man I hadn't noticed that! After all the Transformers have been through to rebuild and stabilize their home, to have it just torn to shreds like that... it's tragic. I actually feel sad for them right now.

Galactic Prime wrote:

JazZeke wrote:I'm kind of in shock. This is affecting me more deeply than I thought it would. I mean, it feels like a shame to just throw out eight years’ worth of great continuity

Where is this 8 years of great continuity? We've had nothing but but a decade of crap.

megamanfan wrote:

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:The design is certainly... Busy

he is a planet, after all. i would be surprised (and disappointed) if he was simple.

megamanfan wrote:

Silverwing wrote:

Randomhero wrote:The remains of Cybertron are in his right hand

Oh, man I hadn't noticed that! After all the Transformers have been through to rebuild and stabilize their home, to have it just torn to shreds like that... it's tragic. I actually feel sad for them right now.

actually, taking a closer look at the darker parts on unicron... it looks like he IS cybertron

Ironhidensh wrote:

Galactic Prime wrote:

JazZeke wrote:I'm kind of in shock. This is affecting me more deeply than I thought it would. I mean, it feels like a shame to just throw out eight years’ worth of great continuity

Where is this 8 years of great continuity? We've had nothing but but a decade of crap.

In your questionable opinion.

The IDWverse has been some of the greatest and most original Transformers story telling we've ever had. I'm very sorry you don't see it.

ZeroWolf wrote:Is there any point in giving you an example since you have already made up your mind? It would be like someone trying to tell me the virtues of the dreamwave series, wouldnt matter a dot, it is inferior in every way.

ZeroWolf wrote:Instead why do you feel the characters have to act as certain way? New continuities in transformers is nothing new, and that's what idw is, a new continuity. It never pretended to be a replacement for the g1 toon and comic, they are still there. If you don't like it fine, but there are those of us who aren't going in to idw expecting it to tread old ground that's already well worn. What would be the point? Seeing megatron be more evil? Seen it. A thousand times seen it. Megatron struggling with his conscience? That's new, gimme more of that. Let the characters go beyond their bios, let them grow and develop. Let them question their alligances, commitment to their cause. Worse comes to worse you don't have to support them, but at least agree to disagree with those that do support them.