MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Transformers (Titan Magazine)

2008-05-12T02:59:57Z

76.217.111.37: /* Alternate universe */

[[Image:Tf mag 01 2007.JPG|thumb|200px|I dunno, I think you could fit some more text on that cover...]]

'''''Transformers''''' is an ongoing monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom by [[Titan Books|Titan Magazines]]. It ties in to the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 film]] and features a mix of original comic strips, reprinted strips by [[IDW]], and regular features & competitions. It is over 50 pages long each month.

According to the indicia in #10, the comic's average net circulation in 2007 was over 45,000 (meaning it sells more than the [http://tfarchive.com/comics/idw/sales.php average IDW issue]). This success led to cover art over stock photo images from #8 (and an original poster for #7), and have it set to last for at least another year.

IDW will soon begin reprinting Titan UK stories in the United States, "as a bit of a companion piece/lead-in to... [[The Reign of Starscream]]". [http://ryalltime.blogspot.com/2008/03/transfourmers.html]

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''<font color="white">Titan Transformers issues:</font>'''
|-
|| [[Transformers Comic issue 1|#1]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 2|#2]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 3|#3]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 4|#4]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 5|#5]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 6|#6]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 7|#7]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 8|#8]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 9|#9]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 10|#10]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 11|#11]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 12|#12]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 13|#13]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 14|#14]]
|}

==Comic strip==
[[Image:Movie_Devastator_TitanIssue2.jpg|thumb|left|180px|I AM THE GOD OF HELLFIRE - AND I BRING YOU...]]

Opening each issue is a 10-page original comic strip. These are written by [[Simon Furman]] and have a mix of artists, many of whom have been seen on other Transformers comics - [[Geoff Senior]], [[Nick Roche]], [[Staz]] and [[Guido Guidi]].

Issues 1-6 were set before the film and were based on specific characters, filling in details of the war and characters (like [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]]) who had not gotten much development in the film. The first two strips, starring [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], tied in to the IDW prequel comic in the same way [[Marvel UK]]'s stories tied in to the Marvel US Transformers. At the end of #2, four of the characters had been scattered across the galaxy and 3-6 focused on their solo adventures on alien worlds. They also featured characters from the toyline, such as [[Clocker (Movie)|Clocker]], in secondary-character roles.

Issues 7-8 were set immediately after the [[Mission City]] battle in the film, dealing with leftover plot elements like [[Scorponok (Movie)|the whereabouts of Scorponok]].

===Alternate universe===

For issues 9-13, the strip featured an alternate reality story, ''Twilight's Last Gleaming'', with a timeline where the [[Decepticons]] won in the film. This has a sizeable cast, covering both movie characters and toy ones like [[Elita-One]], and opens with Sam Witwicky already dead, Optimus Prime missing in action (later found to be offline) and the Decepticons [[cyberforming]] the Earth.

[[Image:TwilightsLastGleaming1.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[Prometheus Black|Bloody foreigners, coming over here, taking our jobs...]]]]

Rather than just being a 5-part divergence, this alternate reality will roll on into the second year of the title and last until #26. This will allow Titan to do pretty much whatever they want with the cast and universe without having to worry about the plot of the second film. [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/script-wrap-%e2%80%94-uk/]

==Regular Features==

*'''Autobot VS Decepticon Smackdown''' - last seen in #5, this pitted two characters against each other and gave a list of their strengths & weaknesses. The outcome of the fight was left up to the reader to decide.
*'''Top Gear''' - this section provided competitions to win Transformers merchandise, as well as [[to sell toys|telling readers about awesome new stuff it'd be cool to have]].
*'''Character Profile''' - an in-depth description of an individual character's personality, history, abilities and weaknesses. Originally these were taken from ''[[Transformers: The Movie Guide]]'', but from #8 (Bonecrusher) they've been new creations.
*'''Letters Page''' - Letters and fan-art from readers, with a prize for the Star Letter. Originally called ''Mech Mail'', it was renamed ''Star Screams'' in #7 and the mail is now answered by "[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]" (a [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|traditional]] gimmick).
*'''Artobots''' - a special section for reader's fan-art.
*'''Poster''' - a pull-out poster in the centre pages. Generally it's a poster version of the front cover, though #7 featured an original image by [[Geoff Senior]].
*'''How To Draw...''': This feature instructs small children how to draw the incredibly fiddly and complicated movie-verse Transformers. "If you found this one a bit difficult to draw...well, it's all part of Megatron's evil plans!" It's also shown how to draw sequential art and cover images.
*'''Free Gift!''' - a cheap item that is hopefully desirable enough to convince a child to buy the comic. Free gifts have included a target-shooting game, Autobot/Decepticon dog tags, and a notebook & pen. According to editor [[Steve White]], coming up with free gifts is "a nightmare for our marketing department, who have no real experience on a more male-orientated older title and have to come up with ideas that don’t just rely on some piece of cheap plastic... However, they’re constrained as much by money – yes, we’d love to have a Minicon on the first issue, but we have to get real." [http://transfans.net/interviews_white.php]

==Reprints==
To fill out the pages while keeping costs down, the magazine reprints comics published by [[IDW]]. The reprints are cut into 5-8 pages segments (though one was once 10 pages), deliberately shorter than the UK strip so it's clear which is the primary story.

The reprints so far have included:
* [[Prime Directives|The Movie Prequel]] - #1-13
* [[The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]] - #1-13
* [[Megatron Origin]] - #14-
* [[The Ascending|Beast Wars: The Ascending]] - #14-

==Audience==

The primary audience of Transformers is, of course, young children - as well as the features and editorial sections being written in juvenile tones (and the presence of free gifts), the letters page is full of kids sending in their praise, photos of their collection, suggestions for stories, and drawings of their own characters. Steve White has openly admitted it's a "junior" title, though they attempt to not talk down to the audience, citing this as a flaw in the short-lived [[Armada (Panini comic)|Panini Armada title]].

There is, however, a sizeable minority of older fans and this is openly recognised in both interviews & in the comic itself. This generally does not affect the content, with the exception of a competition in #7 for the ''Best of Simon Furman'' trade, with the question being [[Death's Head|what robot bounty hunter Furman had made]].

==Multi-continuity==

[[Image:IDW Megatron Magmatron.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Transformers Mag - heroically teaching small children that BW Megatron is a badass.]]

While the current focus of the comic is, obviously, the film, the title has also made substantial references to the [[Generation 1]] franchise. #1 had a feature on the [[The Transformers: The Movie|animated movie and its DVD]], trades of IDW's comics are promoted & offered as competition prizes, and the odd reference is made to G1 and older fans who may remember it.

[[Beast Wars]] also gets referenced - ''The Gathering'' is a regular reprint, mention is made of it, and young readers in the letter's page write in mentioning it (and #7 had a fan-art of [[Cheetor]]) with Starscream refering to Simon Furman as a [[Maximal]]. There have also been two competitions to win the UK [[Beast Machines]] DVD boxsets. (Beast Wars was repeated in full on a loop on Channel 5 in recent years, as well as likely being a show remembered by readers who grew up in the late 1990s, so many readers would have familiarity with it)

The new [[Transformers Animated]] cartoon received a minor feature in #10, with further information in subsequent issues to coincide with the show airing on UK satellite TV. Whether there will be Animated strips in the comic or if it will have its own spin-off is as yet unknown.

[[Category: Transformers Magazine issues]]
[[Category: Comics]]
[[Category: Continuities]]
[[Category: Movie]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Transformers (Titan Magazine)

2008-05-12T02:58:50Z

76.217.111.37: /* Alternate universe */

[[Image:Tf mag 01 2007.JPG|thumb|200px|I dunno, I think you could fit some more text on that cover...]]

'''''Transformers''''' is an ongoing monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom by [[Titan Books|Titan Magazines]]. It ties in to the [[Transformers (2007)|2007 film]] and features a mix of original comic strips, reprinted strips by [[IDW]], and regular features & competitions. It is over 50 pages long each month.

According to the indicia in #10, the comic's average net circulation in 2007 was over 45,000 (meaning it sells more than the [http://tfarchive.com/comics/idw/sales.php average IDW issue]). This success led to cover art over stock photo images from #8 (and an original poster for #7), and have it set to last for at least another year.

IDW will soon begin reprinting Titan UK stories in the United States, "as a bit of a companion piece/lead-in to... [[The Reign of Starscream]]". [http://ryalltime.blogspot.com/2008/03/transfourmers.html]

{|style="margin:0 auto;padding:0 auto" align=center id=toc
!align=center bgcolor=#6699CC|'''<font color="white">Titan Transformers issues:</font>'''
|-
|| [[Transformers Comic issue 1|#1]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 2|#2]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 3|#3]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 4|#4]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 5|#5]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 6|#6]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 7|#7]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 8|#8]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 9|#9]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 10|#10]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 11|#11]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 12|#12]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 13|#13]] | [[Transformers Comic issue 14|#14]]
|}

==Comic strip==
[[Image:Movie_Devastator_TitanIssue2.jpg|thumb|left|180px|I AM THE GOD OF HELLFIRE - AND I BRING YOU...]]

Opening each issue is a 10-page original comic strip. These are written by [[Simon Furman]] and have a mix of artists, many of whom have been seen on other Transformers comics - [[Geoff Senior]], [[Nick Roche]], [[Staz]] and [[Guido Guidi]].

Issues 1-6 were set before the film and were based on specific characters, filling in details of the war and characters (like [[Brawl (Movie)|Devastator]]) who had not gotten much development in the film. The first two strips, starring [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus]] and [[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]], tied in to the IDW prequel comic in the same way [[Marvel UK]]'s stories tied in to the Marvel US Transformers. At the end of #2, four of the characters had been scattered across the galaxy and 3-6 focused on their solo adventures on alien worlds. They also featured characters from the toyline, such as [[Clocker (Movie)|Clocker]], in secondary-character roles.

Issues 7-8 were set immediately after the [[Mission City]] battle in the film, dealing with leftover plot elements like [[Scorponok (Movie)|the whereabouts of Scorponok]].

===Alternate universe===

For issues 9-13, the strip featured an alternate reality story, ''Twilight's Last Gleaming'', with a timeline where the [[Decepticons]] won in the film. This has a sizeable cast, covering both movie characters and toy ones like [[Elita-One]], and opens with Sam Witwicky already dead, Optimus Prime missing in action (later found to be offline) and the Decepticons [[cyberforming]] the Earth.

[[Image:TwilightsLastGleaming1.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[Meltdown|Bloody foreigners, coming over here, taking our jobs...]]]]

Rather than just being a 5-part divergence, this alternate reality will roll on into the second year of the title and last until #26. This will allow Titan to do pretty much whatever they want with the cast and universe without having to worry about the plot of the second film. [http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/script-wrap-%e2%80%94-uk/]

==Regular Features==

*'''Autobot VS Decepticon Smackdown''' - last seen in #5, this pitted two characters against each other and gave a list of their strengths & weaknesses. The outcome of the fight was left up to the reader to decide.
*'''Top Gear''' - this section provided competitions to win Transformers merchandise, as well as [[to sell toys|telling readers about awesome new stuff it'd be cool to have]].
*'''Character Profile''' - an in-depth description of an individual character's personality, history, abilities and weaknesses. Originally these were taken from ''[[Transformers: The Movie Guide]]'', but from #8 (Bonecrusher) they've been new creations.
*'''Letters Page''' - Letters and fan-art from readers, with a prize for the Star Letter. Originally called ''Mech Mail'', it was renamed ''Star Screams'' in #7 and the mail is now answered by "[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]]" (a [[Letters page (Marvel UK)|traditional]] gimmick).
*'''Artobots''' - a special section for reader's fan-art.
*'''Poster''' - a pull-out poster in the centre pages. Generally it's a poster version of the front cover, though #7 featured an original image by [[Geoff Senior]].
*'''How To Draw...''': This feature instructs small children how to draw the incredibly fiddly and complicated movie-verse Transformers. "If you found this one a bit difficult to draw...well, it's all part of Megatron's evil plans!" It's also shown how to draw sequential art and cover images.
*'''Free Gift!''' - a cheap item that is hopefully desirable enough to convince a child to buy the comic. Free gifts have included a target-shooting game, Autobot/Decepticon dog tags, and a notebook & pen. According to editor [[Steve White]], coming up with free gifts is "a nightmare for our marketing department, who have no real experience on a more male-orientated older title and have to come up with ideas that don’t just rely on some piece of cheap plastic... However, they’re constrained as much by money – yes, we’d love to have a Minicon on the first issue, but we have to get real." [http://transfans.net/interviews_white.php]

==Reprints==
To fill out the pages while keeping costs down, the magazine reprints comics published by [[IDW]]. The reprints are cut into 5-8 pages segments (though one was once 10 pages), deliberately shorter than the UK strip so it's clear which is the primary story.

The reprints so far have included:
* [[Prime Directives|The Movie Prequel]] - #1-13
* [[The Gathering|Beast Wars: The Gathering]] - #1-13
* [[Megatron Origin]] - #14-
* [[The Ascending|Beast Wars: The Ascending]] - #14-

==Audience==

The primary audience of Transformers is, of course, young children - as well as the features and editorial sections being written in juvenile tones (and the presence of free gifts), the letters page is full of kids sending in their praise, photos of their collection, suggestions for stories, and drawings of their own characters. Steve White has openly admitted it's a "junior" title, though they attempt to not talk down to the audience, citing this as a flaw in the short-lived [[Armada (Panini comic)|Panini Armada title]].

There is, however, a sizeable minority of older fans and this is openly recognised in both interviews & in the comic itself. This generally does not affect the content, with the exception of a competition in #7 for the ''Best of Simon Furman'' trade, with the question being [[Death's Head|what robot bounty hunter Furman had made]].

==Multi-continuity==

[[Image:IDW Megatron Magmatron.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Transformers Mag - heroically teaching small children that BW Megatron is a badass.]]

While the current focus of the comic is, obviously, the film, the title has also made substantial references to the [[Generation 1]] franchise. #1 had a feature on the [[The Transformers: The Movie|animated movie and its DVD]], trades of IDW's comics are promoted & offered as competition prizes, and the odd reference is made to G1 and older fans who may remember it.

[[Beast Wars]] also gets referenced - ''The Gathering'' is a regular reprint, mention is made of it, and young readers in the letter's page write in mentioning it (and #7 had a fan-art of [[Cheetor]]) with Starscream refering to Simon Furman as a [[Maximal]]. There have also been two competitions to win the UK [[Beast Machines]] DVD boxsets. (Beast Wars was repeated in full on a loop on Channel 5 in recent years, as well as likely being a show remembered by readers who grew up in the late 1990s, so many readers would have familiarity with it)

The new [[Transformers Animated]] cartoon received a minor feature in #10, with further information in subsequent issues to coincide with the show airing on UK satellite TV. Whether there will be Animated strips in the comic or if it will have its own spin-off is as yet unknown.

[[Category: Transformers Magazine issues]]
[[Category: Comics]]
[[Category: Continuities]]
[[Category: Movie]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

Derrick J. Wyatt

2008-05-11T17:03:36Z

76.217.111.37:

[[Image:DerrickWyatt.jpg|thumb|200px|The new, and improved, [[Floro Dery]] 2.0!.]]]]

'''Derrick J. Wyatt''' (10 August, 1972- ) is an American artist and character designer. He has done character designs for series such as ''Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends'', but is best known as a character designer on the series ''Teen Titans''. He is currently the art director, lead character designer, and a color stylist on ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]''.

While attending the [[wikipedia:Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art|Joe Kubert school]] of art in [[New Jersey]], one of his teachers was [[Jose Delbo]].

''Freaky'', man.

{{-}}

==External links==
*[http://derrickjwyatt.blogspot.com/ Derrick J. Wyatt's blog]
*[http://us.imdb.com/name/nm1356967/ Derrick Wyatt] at the Internet Movie Database

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wyatt, Derrick J.}}
[[Category:Designers]]
[[Category:Convention guests]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>