There's room for "What if?" alternate versions of stories. We have a thread for it. IDW could have made a whole series out of it. But Deviations isn't that. It's the Facebook fandom's grudge that they just will not get over.
Does anyone have any idea of when it is most likely we will find out who the new Transformers comic publisher and why it has not happened yet?
- Thread starter Soundwave2.0
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Here's the reported physical sales (Keep in mind digital sales are rarely reported)
From the month prior to Deviations (February 2016)
Transformers #50: 11,098
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #49: 8,449
Transformers Vs G.I. Joe #11: 6,187
From the month Deviations came out. (March 2016)
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #50: 10,439
Transformers: Deviations #1: 9,196
Transformers #51: 8,177
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #51: 8,124
From the month after Deviations (April 2016)
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #52: 9,055
Transformers #52: 8,178
Transformers Sins of Wreckers #4: 5,975
Transformers Vs G.I. Joe #12: 5,968
So it did above average for a spinoff, but about on par for the main issues. Being a #1 might have boosted it's sales a bit.
From the month prior to Deviations (February 2016)
Transformers #50: 11,098
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #49: 8,449
Transformers Vs G.I. Joe #11: 6,187
From the month Deviations came out. (March 2016)
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #50: 10,439
Transformers: Deviations #1: 9,196
Transformers #51: 8,177
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #51: 8,124
From the month after Deviations (April 2016)
Transformers More Than Meets Eye #52: 9,055
Transformers #52: 8,178
Transformers Sins of Wreckers #4: 5,975
Transformers Vs G.I. Joe #12: 5,968
So it did above average for a spinoff, but about on par for the main issues. Being a #1 might have boosted it's sales a bit.
True, but I think it would end up like every OTHER major Hasbro purchase going back to the 90s. Hasbro makes a major purchase or investment in something outside of their “core industry”, nominally, to promote the “core brands”. They play with the purchase for a few years, something major happens, or the investments fail to play out to the level desired, and they sell off and/or dissolve the initiative.
Hell, Hasbro is investing MILLIONS into a AAA game development arm of Wizards of the Coast..despite apparently missing a $300 million steal in SquareEnix’s sellout of its western assets and IP. Or the fact we did this rodeo 25 years when Hasbro bought the remains of Atari.
Mobile gaming big? Bought a controlling stake in Backflip Studios…until closing it in 2019 (10 years after purchase). Hasbro has gone back to the more lucrative “licensing the stuff out to others” route.
FFS, Hasbro’s massive move in acquiring eOne is already being backpeddled. Aside from the family friendly IP, Hasbro is actively looking for buyers of eOne, including the back catalog and rights to current hit series like The Rookie and Yellowjackets. That’s on top of selling off Boulder Media, animation company for Transformers Cyberverse and Rescue Bots Academy (and probably the reason Nickelodeon is so highly involved with Earthspark).
Brian Goldner had a big vision, but it’s clear that vision wasn’t shared by others in Hasbro’s upper echelon. As part of Chris Cocks’ efforts to increase profitability, in addition to slimming their in house production capabilities, I’ve seen a LOT more action on licensing out of brands:
Hasbro hasn’t made a traditional Tonka truck in house in over 20 years. The newest licensee is Basic Fun, who will also be taking over, former-Franchise Brand, Littlest Pet Shop in 2024. Basic Fun also handles Lite Bright, Retro Pound Puppies and Retro My Little Pony products.
Just Play was granted the Master License for Easy Bake Oven, taking over next year as well.
Wicked Cool Toys (now owned by Jazwares) successfully relaunched Micro Machines after Hasbro’s Star Wars centric failure in 2015. And Jazwares produces licensed Nerf accessories.
In regards to the comics, I think the issue right now is that Hasbro might be asking too much or have unattractive strings attached. Transformers likely has value, but would a company want to pick up GI Joe as well? GI Joe’s sales were pretty lackluster and the it got to the point the brand was BARELY supporting the retro-ARAH’s neverending zombie existence. If they’re a “package deal” that could be a dissuading factor for some more interested in JUST Transformers.
Deviations problem was it being so childish and lazy. The author just took the movie script but kept Optimus alive, his story had everyone act out of character with a hatred for Hot Rod, then the season 3 cast was killed off all at once. That writing was worthy of ridicule, it's as if the author was traumatised by the film so wrote his own - at age 8 and thought it would pass mustard thirty years later.
replace Otisburg with Megscream.
I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt but when I saw that writers name in War For Cybertron Siege episode 4 I figured that the show would toss out all it had built and sure enough it began with Megatron executing Ultra Magnus despite his previous actions, that same arc saw almost every non season 1 and 2 character killed off too.
replace Otisburg with Megscream.
I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt but when I saw that writers name in War For Cybertron Siege episode 4 I figured that the show would toss out all it had built and sure enough it began with Megatron executing Ultra Magnus despite his previous actions, that same arc saw almost every non season 1 and 2 character killed off too.
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I mean, yes, it is only one person's opinion, but it pretty closely echoes mine, and most (if not all) of the ones I've seen.
Particularly those who feel "G1" ended before the movie.
I'd think having their own publisher could be beneficial beyond just comics. Imagine if, in addition, they released their own art books, for example, or toy encyclopedias.
A little imagination, and I can imagine perks.
A little imagination, and I can imagine perks.
I don't think there's any chance of Hasbro starting their own print publisher. Making money as a print publisher is *hard* and Hasbro is running away from the E-One acquisition when E-One was a profitable company staffed by people who knew what they were doing and had long established sales relationships.
A publishing arm is basically just tipping money into a fire.
A publishing arm is basically just tipping money into a fire.
Deviations felt less like a "What If?" story and more like someone's mean-spirited fanfic. It's an extended sequence of crapping on Hot Rod, and to a somewhat lesser degree all of the other new characters, and that's about it.
I think those early-G1 people forget how much maturity Transformers gained from the movie and season 3. The series would not be as well-remembered without taking the risk of killing off a vast swath of the main cast (even if it was To Sell Toys).
That said, it would have made a cool What If story if the S1/2 cast could survive and work together with the S3 cast, instead.
That said, it would have made a cool What If story if the S1/2 cast could survive and work together with the S3 cast, instead.
Could the Transformers ongoing, the beast wars series and the Shattered Glass series continue with the new publisher?
Would you please say What is the likely outcome?
Would you please say What is the likely outcome?
Could they? Sure. Will they? That’s the bigger question.
Given the garbage that was GI Joe #300, it’s clear that Larry Hama has an expectation of continuing his book under the next publisher, but most of the Transformers books found a solid “wrap up” point.
I find it EXTREMELY unlikely that the next round of Transformers comics will just “pick up” where IDW left off. The core Transformers book will be rebooted, just as it was when IDW took over the license to begin with. Without a solid leverage point, I don’t see Beast Wars being relaunched (at least, not initially).
Considering the nature of Shattered Glass and how well the initiative has been recieved and rumors Hasbro has another cycle of toys planned…it would not surprise me if SG got a new mini-series, even if it may not continue from the last in terms of continuity.
Given the garbage that was GI Joe #300, it’s clear that Larry Hama has an expectation of continuing his book under the next publisher, but most of the Transformers books found a solid “wrap up” point.
I find it EXTREMELY unlikely that the next round of Transformers comics will just “pick up” where IDW left off. The core Transformers book will be rebooted, just as it was when IDW took over the license to begin with. Without a solid leverage point, I don’t see Beast Wars being relaunched (at least, not initially).
Considering the nature of Shattered Glass and how well the initiative has been recieved and rumors Hasbro has another cycle of toys planned…it would not surprise me if SG got a new mini-series, even if it may not continue from the last in terms of continuity.
I think it could be easy for a new publisher to both continue in the established SG Continuity AND do their own thing. SG2 wrapped up the major plot points, while teasing what could come. And if what could come, is just 'This is what Hasbro is considering for wave 3" then a new publisher would just need to put in a few references to the previous series where needed and still be able to do their own thing. Like if we do get Prowl as one of the Main villians (the last of the big three) there's been so little actually done with him, that anything could work for him. Same if SG Grimlock's rumor is true, we've not seen him in the new continuiuty so again they have another villian that they can whole cloth as their own. SG Comics basically just being interconnected Spotlights gives a alot of room to play around with.
I wonder how many lives Hot Rod saved by attacking the Decepticons before they could sneak past Autobot City's defenses as planned?
He did not deserve this issue.
He did not deserve this issue.
It's certainly possible; Hasbro owns the rights to the characters and whatnot so they could continue the storylines. I could potentially even see them doing one-offs or miniseries for special occasions, given how acclaimed phase 2 IDW1 was.
From the rumors, however, it was suggested that Skybound had a specific pitch and I really doubt that pitch was "We're just going to continue what IDW did.". Hell, despite what Larry Hama says, I'm not going to trust that his GI Joe run is continuing until it's been solicited.
But, as mentioned, Shattered Glass is a special case as Hasbro is actively using it as marketing and pack-ins for one of their toylines. I think there's a good chance that continues, if they get the licensing figuring out in time to get a comic done for Wave 3.
From the rumors, however, it was suggested that Skybound had a specific pitch and I really doubt that pitch was "We're just going to continue what IDW did.". Hell, despite what Larry Hama says, I'm not going to trust that his GI Joe run is continuing until it's been solicited.
But, as mentioned, Shattered Glass is a special case as Hasbro is actively using it as marketing and pack-ins for one of their toylines. I think there's a good chance that continues, if they get the licensing figuring out in time to get a comic done for Wave 3.
To a casual audience Optimus killing Megatron is as believable as Megatron killing Starscream in revenge but to a fan it's very unlikely Optimus would just blow Megatrons head off despite him saying he must be stopped at any cost, and Galvatron's 'hint' made his identity more ambiguous though alter referring to Megatron in second person is a sign of madness.
I may not have liked that Hot Rod and Ultra Magnus were fighting though the writer explained why in the podcast interview though it did not happen in the movie.
I like the idea of alternate universes and could have been liked what if ideas that were in this issue and could have liked that they had done more Transformers deviations.
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What do you think?