Sunday, December 7, 2008

ドリフト走行*


In ALL AIL MEGATRON, we were able to create our first-ever all-new toy-bound Transformers, Drift. And in April, Drift will be getting his own Spotlight issue, courtesy of Drift creator Shane McCarthy and artist Casey Coller. Here--and tomorrow with their variant cover--Coller and artist Joana Lafuente create something really special with their cover for the book.
(*"drifting")

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

HOT STUFF! XD DEFINITELY picking that up.

I think 走る (hashiru) might also be appropriate... :3 Although soukou works with punning his name. You're missing the は, if we wanna get a little more grammatically correct. :3

Anonymous said...

That guy barely DEBUTED in AHM last issue and I'm already sick to death of him.

Anonymous said...

And if he's your "first-ever all-new Transformer", what does that make Grindcore? You know, that original Cybertronian who was part of Nova Prime's expansion crew that Sideswipe ended up defeating?
And what about Senator Decimus from Megatron Origin?
In fact, I'd sooner read a Spotlight issue about these two characters than about that lame-ass weeaboosupersamuraispiderguy you call Drift. What kind of lame name is that anyway? I've seen better names on ACTUAL Japanese Transformers.

Anonymous said...

Drift is *such* a white boy anime fan that it hurts.

Anonymous said...

Quote from a Shame McCarthy interview:
"The original concept, though, was for an Autobot based on a Japanese drift racing car. He’d have Japanese overtones but, clearly, wouldn’t actually be Japanese since that really wouldn’t make any sense at all,” McCarthy said. “What I’m doing though is quietly tipping my hat the country that gave birth to these guys.”
Yeah. If he really wanted to do that, he could've just used Star Saber. Japanese origins? Check. Sword? Check. Japanese-esque look? He's so Gundam-ish it hurts, so check.
Instead he wastes his time with a crappy weeaboo Mary Sue.

Maybe Shame McPrance should focus on his dancing school instead, because he's worthless as a writer, and I have fandom discussions to prove it.

Anonymous said...

Why all the negativity against a character we don't even know a areal scrap about, personality/attitude/ability/history wise? "Judging book by its cover" much and I'll admit, I was somewhat hesitant about Drift when Shane introduced him back at SDCC08. However, I'm willing to wait and see how Drift will come out as a character of his own, as someone fighting under the Autobot banner, his thoughts on the whole war, quirks that may answer why he chose a car that can be used in drift racing, and other angles.

Anonymous said...

No offense lady, but you're hardly what I'd call an unbiased source in this (http://ryalltime.blogspot.com/2008/12/alas-poor-autobots.html).

As for not judging a book by its cover, I'd agree if the cover wasn't ALL ABOUT HOW AWESOME AND NEAT AND SUPERDUPERCOOL the book is and how you can expect lots more from this book in the future regardless of whether it's good or if fans actually like it or not.

You want to see actual fandom reactions to Shane, All Hail Megatron and Drift?
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Talk:Drift_%28G1%29
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Talk:Shane_McCarthy
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/All_Hail_Megatron#Discrepancies (for a fan of Simon Furman's work he's sure working hard at ignoring said work)
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Talk:All_Hail_Megatron_issue_4

I'm impressed you actually keep Shane around considering his super-hyped All Hail Megatron story and the subsequent ruining of Revelations's pace were all done so it'd end up selling ONE MORE ISSUE than Devastation #1....

Anonymous said...

Because, seriously, he hasn't even gotten a FREAKIN' WORD in yet. They're assigning a goddamn SPOTLIGHT ISSUE to someone whom the fandom hasn't even been exposed to yet, fiction-wise, in any way, shape or form. Every single decision they've made on the character has been based on their own hype and nothing else.
If Drift turns out universally unpopular among the fandom (like Megatron Origin was), then we still won't be rid of him for another six months!
That's just incredibly poor planning on IDW's part and they need to get off that alleged "Hasbro's giving us a Drift toy! Yay!" high (which I won't even believe until HASBRO THEMSELVES confirm it) and get their planning straightened out.

Anonymous said...

I never claimed to be an unbiased source. I'm speaking as a reader of the comics, as a fan of TF, and as a writer (fan/amateur, I'll admit). I didn't buy the entire hype, because I avoid raising my expectations too high, and I like to see how the picture will come out from the pieces Shane's been giving us. Yes, some of his writing leaves a bit to desire for, namely tying into what Simon wrote and other things, but real life logistics speaks otherwise.

Anonymous said...

Holy crap. I just thought of something. If you don't like Shane's work... DON'T BUY HIS F*CKING BOOKS! I know you have disagreements, but your posts reek of jealousy and overall immaturity.

And for a shite comic like All Hail Megatron, it sure does sell out of a lot of places. Funny how that works out, huh?

Simon's the man. But before you say that Shane somehow was responsible or IDW for that matter, in rushing Revelations... maybe Simon shouldn't have left so many loose ends out there that needed to be tied?

Anonymous said...

Hi, Shane!

Martin Fisher said...

Casey and Joana score again. What a team! Great looking cover :)

Anonymous said...

And J, you must love your "weeboosupersamuraispiderguy" label so much you just HAD to post it on the TFW2005 forums, right?

That name isn't funny. But your art sure is. Maybe you could do a cover for Shane? Lame-ass art for a lame-ass character?

Really?
http://raceconvoy.deviantart.com/

Anonymous said...

Actually, I got that line from J.

But thanks for the compliment on my art! I usually consider it more "shitty" than "lame-ass"!

Anonymous said...

My saying of "some of his writing leaves a bit to desire" doesn't equate to me "not liking his writing". Not jealousy, but more of a respectful envy of Shane and Simon as writers. Regarding Revelations, here's what Ryall had to say.

Anonymous said...

That's one kick ass cover. Word on who's doing the B version (dying to also see EJ's take)?

Solaris Omega said...

I for one am looking forward to this, but hesitant at the same time. I'm usually not one for newly created characters getting the spotlight (literal or otherwise) but I'm withholding judgment until after we see more of him in AHM. Who knows? He may surprise us :D

Gotta move along with the times and go with the flow. I've been happy with AHM so far, so I have confidence that Drift will be an unusual/interesting addition to the Autobots.

Oh, and bitchin' cover ^_~ I can't wait to see the actual issue.

Chris Ryall said...

"You're missing the は, if we wanna get a little more grammatically correct."

Am I? Dammit, you mean Wikipedia isn't always 100% correct...?

Solaris Omega said...

Sometimes you're better off using Google Translate or Bablefish, Ryall XD I only have a base knowledge of Japanese and katakana/hiragana, and even I was pretty sure something was amiss :P

Ah well, pobody's nerfect :P

Anonymous said...

@ J

"In ALL AIL MEGATRON, we were able to create our first-ever all-new toy-bound Transformers, Drift."

The big difference between Drift and all the other ones you mentioned is that he is toy-bound. Hence their excitment.

Anonymous said...

"I'm impressed you actually keep Shane around considering his super-hyped All Hail Megatron story and the subsequent ruining of Revelations's pace were all done so it'd end up selling ONE MORE ISSUE than Devastation #1...."

J, how many times does Ryall need to tell us that AHM had no effect on the number of issues Revelations ran????

If I recall correctly, I read somewhere that Ryall first approached Shane about doing a new series for IDW during SD Comic Con of 2007. One month later is when Simon posted on his blog about Revelations and teased about Expansion.

If I had to offer up my OPINION of why Revelations was "cut short" as so many like to say it would be this (even though the entire series of Simon's story has been over 40 issues and is STILL CONTINUING IN MAX DINOS). Let's hypothetically say IDW ran Rev and Expansion like Simon teased about (6 issue arcs with a gap between them). That would mean Revelations would have ended in Nov/Dec, then there would be a 2-3 month gap and Expansion would have started in Feb/Mar ending somewhere around Aug/Sep 2009. Does that make sense? Now we don't have all the sales figures, only IDW does, but that would mean running the same story and format for another year with sales continuing to dip on that series.

Not to mention that we're coming into a movie year that also happens to be the 25th Anniversary of TF's. So with wanting to do things like "The 13," other movie tie-ins, and tapping Simon for multiple projects there, where in the world would Simon have had time to fit in another series???

Cheers,
RJK

Anonymous said...

"That guy barely DEBUTED in AHM last issue and I'm already sick to death of him."

I was actually happy with the way Drift debuted. Being a new character and an unknown Shane brings him in with a group that is very well known and Drift doesn't say a word. That gives him some clout that he's hanging with the big-time bots. Awesome, because we didn't get this new character coming in and instantaneously steeling the "spotlight" from our well-liked bots. Drift is quietly in the background so the reader sees the new face and starts to wonder what he's all about. Drift wasn't just thrown in the readers face like "look at our awesome new TF, isn't he badass?" So I was happy about that. Characters like Kup and Jazz were in the limelight.

While I'm on a rant, I'll just keep going for one more point. I've been seeing a lot of "how is Kup back" and "Shane is ignoring spotlight Kup." Well, Simon wrote in Spotlight Optimus Prime, while Prime is getting briefed, that "Physically Kup is healed" and then something about his mental state still needing work. Well, we've had a Year PLUS between SL: OP and AHM for the the autobots to get Kup mentally with it. To me, there is no continuity glitch there at all.

My two cents...

Cheers,
RJK

Jimtron said...

Wow, such vitriol for a character we've barely met. Transference? Anyway, I thought McCarthy did a great job with Blurr and I'm looking forward to more of his spotlights.

Anonymous said...

"how many times does Ryall need to tell us that AHM had no effect on the number of issues Revelations ran????"

The 'old direction' is quickly wrapped up right around the time the 'new direction' starts, and you're baffled as to why people assume the two events are related? It's basic logic more than anything else.

Anonymous said...

Welcome dear Mary-Sue...

lonegamer7, your phrase "character we don't even know a areal scrap about, personality/attitude/ability/history wise" is really an answer to your question! He's nobody yet and he already got a a Spotlight...

Anonymous said...

"Am I? Dammit, you mean Wikipedia isn't always 100% correct...?"

*laugh* That would depend. What you used is correct, but it's also probably a mistake on my part as well. I was reading that "ドリフト" as his name, not the entire thing of meaning "drift racing". :P If you put in the は in between ドリフト and 走行, it could read as "Drift is travelling" - thus, what I meant on punning his name in that he's "travelling" with the other Autobots. :D

Anonymous said...

I'd like to bring up a piece of criticism that's been said about All Hail Megatron by longtime Transfan Greg "M Sipher" Sepelak.

"But the main G1 comic continuity at the moment is amateurish."

You'd be wondering why that comment would be more relevant than, say, my own criticism of AHM. Well, that's because Greg is a professional writer.
He, along with his writing partner Trent Troop, has written Transformers stories for the Official Transformers Collectors' Club. Stories which have, unlike All Hail Megatron, universally loved by the fandom.
So yeah. I think IDW and company should really pay attention to this comment.

Anonymous said...

I should clarify, that quote from M Sipher was in regards to All Hail Megatron specifically, during a discussion about All Hail Megatron #4:
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Talk:All_Hail_Megatron_issue_4

Anonymous said...

Detour, user-generated opinions posted on talk pages of the wiki are not primary sources, and citing their wikiness doesn't lend any extra legitimacy to the argument.

(It bothers me the way people have posted tfwiki links on this response thread to "proove" that Drift sucks. If there's an argument to be made against the character... make the argument, don't just throw out a link of "bad stuff about Drift.")

Yeah, it's obnoxious the way IDW is shoving Drift down everyone's throats... but they created a new character for shits and giggles-- then Hasbro was all; "Guess what, we're making a toy of this guy."

They're excited! It's a fanboy's dream, to actually create a new Transformer-- a new G1 Transformer. Yeah, IDW's tripping-over-themselves enthusiasm is annoying... but it's also understandable. Cut them some slack.

Anonymous said...

I'm not convinced by this character decision - there are far too many other great tfs out there that are underdeveloped and more deserving of a spotlight. However, I would like to proved wrong, and Spotlight Blur was a good read, so hopefully Shane will hit a similar note with this one shot.

Anonymous said...

"The 'old direction' is quickly wrapped up right around the time the 'new direction' starts, and you're baffled as to why people assume the two events are related? It's basic logic more than anything else."

I like how you just respond to my first question but ignore the logic that I applied in the rest of my response. The only thing I'm baffled at is how many people jump the gun and assume there's a causal relationship when there isn't one.

-RJK

Anonymous said...

"I'd like to bring up a piece of criticism that's been said about All Hail Megatron by longtime Transfan Greg "M Sipher" Sepelak.

"But the main G1 comic continuity at the moment is amateurish."

You'd be wondering why that comment would be more relevant than, say, my own criticism of AHM. Well, that's because Greg is a professional writer.
He, along with his writing partner Trent Troop, has written Transformers stories for the Official Transformers Collectors' Club. Stories which have, unlike All Hail Megatron, universally loved by the fandom.
So yeah. I think IDW and company should really pay attention to this comment."

And I don't think they should pay attention to it all. So what that Sipher is a professional writer, so is McCarthy. Material put our by the TF fan club has been some of the more tedious and harder to follow material in my opinion. I could care less for it...so it therefore isn't universally loved.

-RJK

Anonymous said...

What collector's club comics are exactly loved by Transformers fans?

Every one I know sees them as amateurish, fan-fic/fan-art productions pumped out to promote whatever it is they promote.

They have a reputation for being disposable, from all I've heard. Most casual Transformers would be surprised to know they even exist.

Anonymous said...

As far as Club fiction goes, I was referring specifically to the prose stories written by Greg Sepelak and Trent Troop, namely "Force Of Habit", "Gone Too Far", "Withered Hope", "I, Lowtech", "Dungeons & Dinobots" and "Wreckers Finale part 2".

I agree that other pieces of Club fiction have been hit or miss, with pretty much anything written by Ben Yee being able to be described at best as "Meh", but Forest Lee's stuff has been steadily improving and Cheap Shots (the comic included with Nightbeat) is definitely one of his best pieces yet, a very enjoyable read that gives a good emphasis on characters' personalities.

Anonymous said...

"I like how you just respond to my first question but ignore the logic that I applied in the rest of my response."

Not everyone reads the IDW message boards. A casual reader sees one story end while another begins and then draw the conclusion. It's not exactly outlandish.

Loadagain said...

LOVE the artwork!

However, this guy is more Japanese ninja in the sense that Naruto is, than an actual Japanese ninja. Guess I'm just tired of this stuff cause I live in Japan.

Anonymous said...

The only Mary Sues I see are a bunch of fanboys getting their G1 pink autobot print panties in a bunch over having a new character and not being satisfied that it's to their liking.

If you don't like the way it's being written or the direction it's going then either A: Become a writer and come up with an idea worthy of being published , or B: STFU and stop reading.

Anonymous said...

If I read the other stuff said about this guy right, then he's the first "official comic character" to get a a toy and the offical "okay" from Hasbro.

So unlike Grindcore, Straxus, Jehaixus or even Xaaron, this bloke's become part of the TF noosphere, not just a comic character.


The idea of a "zen" character is interesting too. Maybe such a "makeover" could have been done to pre-existing characters (Beachcomber? Star Saber??) but look at the shit storm that such changes created.

So looks like IDW can't win.

Anonymous said...

wow. crazy responses! i look forward to more, thanks for confirmation Chris! Art is always fantastic! Casey and Joana are so good!

Bassbot

Anonymous said...

Detour said...

"Greg "M Sipher" Sepelak.. along with his writing partner Trent Troop, has written Transformers stories for the Official Transformers Collectors' Club. Stories which have, unlike All Hail Megatron, universally loved by the fandom."

Absolute bollocks. The only thing they've done that was even close to being universally loved was supposed to be an April Fools joke.

Anonymous said...

"What kind of lame name is that anyway? I've seen better names on ACTUAL Japanese Transformers."

http://www.tfu.info/2003/Micron/XDrift/drift.htm

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Greg "M Sipher" Sepelak should take a longer look at his owncareer and less time leaving comments on fan boards (usually with one of his hilarious M "insert s##t line here" Sipher endings).

for someone who writes fan comics to call a mainstream pulication amateur seems to just be jealousy - although i can concede that he probably has less resources/ back up and he does the best with what he has, i dont know of many who have thought of the club stuff as any good, and yes its thought of as disposable.

as for Drift - well time will tell. its a different approach and hats off to them if hasbro does make a toy of it - i think that is a creation we would all like to say we could put our name to, or say "look we made that!"

Anonymous said...

Anyone else having problems with the IDW forums?

I can see others are logged in and posting, I keep getting invalid links whenever I try and do anything.

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