Thursday, May 15, 2008

Well, I may not know when I'll post some new stuff

It's been a bit crazy lately. I finally decided that if I did not try to go back to college now I'd never do so. So now besides the crazy job that seems to have no end of work in sight...I'm also now a full time student through University of Phoenix Online, going for my Bachelor's in CIS/Visual Media. These classes are real fast, one per 5 weeks. It's going to be fun trying to squeeze everything out in the few free moments. I really did intend to try to get another comic issue done, really.

BTW, Tony B. sent me another two boxes of medias from the Archive. So, perhaps if I get some free time we might actually get an expanded version of the Archive CD out sometime...I had some complaints on the last one, some wanted .pdf versions rather than the .gif and .jpg files I used. The thing is some of these are suffering from toner wear/degradation and I was sometimes doing some brushups in painting programs. What do you think?

I've actually come to sort of like the new TF Animated. I like the little G1 easter eggs they've been dropping and enjoyed seeing Spike, Carly and Daniel even if they are not main characters. I get a kick out of some of the jokes and mild physical humor. I think they actually made Prowl cool and I liked Jazz's portrail. I was not crazy about the Ultra Magnus -Thor routine. Sentinel Prime's a punk. Elita One becoming Blackarachnia was a bit of a twist and I have to wonder how that will play out. Sadly the shows have not made me want to pick up this toy line, I think the Universe (Classics 2.0) will hold more for my money interest wise.

Well, if I can squeeze it out I'll try to post something soon. Take care all.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Warlog Volume 2 issue 4 Cover Online

Hi !
It has taken me more time than I had in mind but I finally have new material online.

I was inspired by the Marvel Transformers US comic 73 since this chapter also has humans in it. You may consider this a Homage.

In 2008 I will try to expand my "skills" , think of drawing human anatomy and new way of coloring. well I try!

The rest of the comic will follow shortly !

see cover here

Greets Johan

btw, nice articles, Tony ! always a joy to read !

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Comic Reviews...


Transformers Spotlight
Grimlock

Writer: Simon Furman
Artist: Marcelo Matere

(cover by Marcelo Matere)

Synopsis: Skywatch switches on Grimlock, despite the warnings by one of it's scientists to his boss that the process just isn't ready... Predictably, Grimlock goes haywire and escapes into the world... we learn that it's due to a Cybertronian virus The Machination put into play to ensure Skywatch would lose control. Grimlock wanders around wondering where he is and what's going on. Scorponok beams in then and offers him an alliance. Grimlock refuses and the two fight. Scorpy gets the upper hand and Grimlock uses his last trick--trying to beam up to his old ship. It succeeds--the ship still exists somewhere on the surface and he arrives safe and sound. Meanwhile, Scorponok tells his men to ready the other Dinobots--they will be used as instruments to destroy Grimlock!

Comments: Reads like a set-up for the Maximum Dinobots storyline more then as a solo character spotlight story. I guess there is that aspect where he awakens alone and confused in a new setting but it's quickly overshadowed by Scorponok and all the scheming for the future. An okay tale but does deviate from the character spotlight aspect pretty fast.

Mildly recommended.

***********



Transformers Timelines
Shattered Glass

Writer: Ben Yee and Peter Sinclair (story)
Artist: Don Figueroa

(cover by Dan Khanna)

Synopsis: Classics Cliffjumper arrives in a dark tunnel somewhere. He's tackled by Crankcase, who is quickly put down by a dark colored Rodimus. He takes Cliffjumper back to the Autobot headquarters where everything is dark and twisted--the Autobots act all evil! Cliffjumper is freaked out, objects and Prime hauls off and shoots him. They dump his lifeless body in the Rad Zone, where the Decepticons find him. CJ is revived by the Constructicons. There, is greeted by Megatron and Sideswipe. Sideswipe surmises Cliffjumper is from another universe and explains this world's history to him--how it was Optimus Prime who rose to power and became evil and how it was Megatron and his resistance fighters who tried to stop him. Prime's current scheme is to launch a large vessel called The Ark and go conquer the universe with it... Megatron's determined to stop him and with Starscream, they devise a plan to destroy the ship's launch pad, thus crippling Prime's plan. The Decepticons attack the Autobots and CJ joins them, since he's philosophically on their side anyway. During the battle, Megatron takes a blast from Optimus intended for Cliffjumper (who was thinking how everything is different here, etc). CJ takes the initiative and uses his Glass Gas to finish off the Ark's launch pad and win the day for the Decepticons. It is a major victory and the Decepticons retreat while Prime screams they will pay for their resistance, blah, blah... CJ is glad he's picked the right side.

Comments: Another story that sells the toy set very well. However, this time the use of a non-toy set character (Cliffjumper) gives the story a little more steam then they normally have (plus CJ's always been a fav of mine). The story is simple enough in context but it works and entertains. I am a bit unimpressed by using the cheesy old Mirror Universe schtick here but it works well enough for the story. The art is pretty good and there aren't any frames where I wasn't sure what was going on (unlike what happens with IDW sometimes).


Recommended.

Saturday, May 03, 2008

BotCon 08 report!

The time has come...

The words have been written...

The images, posted...


The 2008 BotCon report is here:

www.karmicsalt.com/bc08report.htm

The pictures are here:

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n245/tkthunder/botcon%202008/

(there are three separate albums to choose from there. The links are on the left).

Enjoy!
Thunder