Re-Generation One (IDW retro G1)

[Dominic]

Preview posted here:
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=36515

It is mildly annoying that this series is starting as a Free Comic Book Day special, (as that arguably makes it harder to get).

I am still waffling on getting this. I likely will, but I do have doubts about this series.


Dom
-it will be Furman's last chance it I do pick it up...

[Mirage]

I'll be picking it up. I'm giving both the new RID and MTMTE titles a try, but to be honest, the IDW universe has just never grabbed me. Last Stand of the Wreckers was great, but I've only ever been able to skim anything else between say, Stormbringer and the two newest titles, so... most of IDW's stuff. Heresy, I know, but it is what it is.

I DO like the fact that RE-G1 is a limited series, because I think this sort of thing would be difficult to sustain in the long run. 20 (and a half) issues is plenty of time to build a decent storyline and wrap things up nicely.

[Dominic]

I doubt it will make 20. When the new movie comics hit, (and they inevitably will), I have to wonder which book IDW will cancel first. Barber's RiD might get the axe, if only to free Barber up for the movie comics. It will all come down to numbers. But, I do not see a Furman book making that cut if IDW has to make a real decision.

Part of me wonders if IDW will pick up from other dangling enders in TF. We know that there is demand for DW comics to be resolved. (As it is, there are leaked scripts and pages floating around, and people are interested in those.)


Dom
-notes how mixed reviews of IDW's retro GI Joe series have been.

[Onslaught Six]

I think they would sooner give a Movie book to McCarthy or someone than give it back to Barber. Barber has shown he does G1 well, there'd be no point in pulling him off for a Movie book. Also, I don't think it'll realistically come in 20 issues. If it were to hit next summer, filming would have already started, and news on that front has gotten very quiet. Hasbro is also probably not that interested in it considering DOTM is a failure.

[Dominic]

Define "failure". Have the toys sold that badly? What did the movie itself make? The movie likely would not be out until summer 2013, meaning the comics would be showing up at this time next year.

Of course, that assumes that Furman's run would last that long.

[Onslaught Six]

Furman has a contingent of fans who will buy anything he writes regardless of how bad some of his output has been in recent years. And even among those who are cautious, they're interested because it's Furman continuing the universe he started. (Oddly enough, there's a decent subsect who are disappointed G2 is being mostly ignored.)

And I've voiced this before, but I honestly think Hasbro phoned in DOTM. They said, "Fuck it, the last movie was awful and we really don't like being associated with this, but it makes us money and it's the last one so we can probably get away with halfassing an entire toyline for once."

[Shockwave]

I still give Furman a chance. He's been hit and miss like any other writer but for some reason, there are apparently a lot of fans that will absolutely never forgive him for the Botcon comics. Or BW. I think most fans just focus on all the negative, completely ignoring the good stuff that's come recently like Escalation, Devastation, Maximum Dinobots and Spotlights. And, even when those are acknowledged it's begrudgingly like it couldn't possibly have been HIS writing, it was "editorial mandate" or some shit.

[Dominic]

It is also Furman's attitude. About 10 years ago, he seemed almost reflexively hyped and over-sold his most recent or upcoming work. And, when the results did not even begin to measure up to the hype, he just moved on to the next thing and expected people to follow him.

You can only get away with that for so long.


Dom
-will admit to Furman writing good stuff in the last 10 years, but will not give him any advance credit.

[BWprowl]

...there are apparently a lot of fans that will absolutely never forgive him for the Botcon comics. Or BW.

They were the same thing, you know.

And I've voiced this before, but I honestly think Hasbro phoned in DOTM. They said, "Fuck it, the last movie was awful and we really don't like being associated with this, but it makes us money and it's the last one so we can probably get away with halfassing an entire toyline for once."

Eh, I decently liked the last movie, it was honestly better the second time through. As for the toys, I don't know where you're getting that they're 'half-assed'. They literally made (sometimes multiple) new molds for EVERYONE, with a consistent line-wide gimmick (remember how spottily-implimented Mech-Alive was?) with multiple new, experimental size classes, playsets, and none of the crappy gimping and so forth that plagued the ROTF toyline. To me it feels like Hasbro actually put a lot of work into making DOTM feel wide-reaching and varied, a 'something for everyone' approach that we hadn't seen since the first movie, except this time the toys were actually in stores. I see it almost the exact opposite of how you do: to me it seems like Hasbro really went all-out to make the DOTM toyline as big as possible, since they knew they might never get this sort of big-screen excuse to hock this much merch again, or at least any time soon.

Anyway, off-topic white-knighting aside, I'll probably check out REG1, at least at first. I'm actually more excited about Wildman returning to art duty than I am about Furman back on writing. Oh man, what if they brought in a rotation of more Marvel G1 artists? Senior? Reed?! I can only dream.

Seriously, Furman and Dan Abnett could team up to write a TF book, and I'd still buy it if it had Dan Reed art.

PS Dom, I wouldn't sweat 80.5 if you somehow miss it, since I will bet actual money that it's just going to be a recap issue.

[Mirage]

The movie likely would not be out until summer 2013, meaning the comics would be showing up at this time next year.

In 16 months? I kind of doubt it will be that soon, Bay leapt right into ROTF after Movie 1 was released, and DOTM likewise immediately after ROTF. He's already said he's making at least one more movie before TF4 (IF he does TF4), so with things being that much in limbo at the moment I'd say we're in for more than the usual two year gap this time.